ALAMOSA—The field of Republican candidates vying for the nomination to run for Congress in Colorado District 3 (CD3) is narrowing as the date of the GOP primary, June 25, gets closer.

There are two paths to getting on the primary ballot that will decide who is the Republican candidate to run in CD3. One way is via the precinct caucus and county and district assemblies where candidates must win each contest to progress.

The second path is via petition where candidates submit signatures to the Secretary of State. To be on the ballot, those petitions must have a total of 1,5000 valid signatures or 10% of the voters who voted in the last primary, whichever is less.

Following a vote of delegates attending the Republican CD3 district assembly, Stephen Varela, a member of the State Board of Education, and former Colorado State Rep. Ron Hanks will appear on the primary ballot.

Varela got 33% of the delegates’ votes and Hanks scored 32%. A minimum of 30% of votes is required to be on the primary ballot.

Other candidates chose a different path to getting their name on the primary ballot. Instead of attending caucuses and the assemblies where they courted delegates for their votes, as Varela and Hanks did, these candidates chose to petition to be on the ballot.

The Secretary of State (SOS) has announced that four have qualified to be on the ballot, so far, including Russ Andrews, Jeff Hurd, Curtis McCracken, and Lee Webb giving those voting in the Republican primary a field of six from which to choose.

Money has always played a huge role in a candidate’s success, and it may be a factor in this contest, as well.

According to the Federal Election Commission filings, as of the end of March, Jeff Hurd, a political newcomer and attorney in Grand Junction, had raised $916,438 in contributions with $527,987 on hand, putting him in the top position.

Russ Andrews, a businessman in Carbondale who has hosted a political talk show in the Roaring Fork Valley for 14 years, has raised $342,800 and has $238,405 remaining.

Lew Webb, who lives in Durango and “financed and built a mountain retreat to support missionaries, struggling pastors and church groups,” after his family’s business in California was sold, has raised $152,500 with $130,335 on hand.

Stephen Varela has raised $70,357 with $23,024 remaining, and Ron Hanks has raised $9,130 with, as of March 31, $5,735 unspent.

Whatever the circumstances and candidates’ financial positions are at this point, it all comes down to the primary where the voters will ultimately have the final word. Pundits and political analysts may predict outcomes, but they are still just that: predictions.

The Republican primary is scheduled for June 25.