Former U.S. Representative Yadira Caraveo dropped her bid to again represent Colorado’s 8th Congressional District Friday.

Caraveo, a Thornton Democrat, attributed her decision to drop out of the 2026 race to the stigmatization of mental health in the U.S. She sought treatment for depression last year ahead of the 2024 election, when U.S. Representative Gabe Evans, a Fort Lupton Republican, defeated her by less than a full percentage point in 2024.

“Unfortunately, I faced very strong resistance to my candidacy this cycle due almost entirely to the stigmatization of mental health in America,” Caraveo said in a statement. “I hope that one day we will see more acceptance and understanding of illnesses like depression, and that leaders at all levels will be able to support those in need in actions and not just words.”

Caraveo was elected in 2022 as the first-ever representative for the 8th District, drawn by an independent redistricting commission after Colorado was awarded an additional congressional seat following the 2020 census. The district encompasses parts of Denver’s northern suburbs as well as more rural areas in southern Weld County and is the state’s most competitive.

Other Democrats left in the race include state Representatives Manny Rutinel of Commerce City and Shannon Bird of Westminster, state Treasurer Dave Young, and Amie Baca-Oehlert, former head of the Colorado Education Association. The Democratic primary election will be in June 2026.