Crank and Killin Clash Over Economy, Iran War, Health Care and Immigration in Colorado’s 5th District Debate
COLORADO SPRINGS — The race for Colorado’s 5th Congressional District took center stage Thursday night as Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank and Democratic challenger Jessica Killin faced off in a wide-ranging debate at the Pikes Peak Center.
The hour-long debate, held just weeks before ballots are scheduled to reach Colorado voters, gave the candidates an opportunity to draw sharp distinctions on the economy, health care, military policy, immigration and the role of Congress in overseeing the Trump administration.
The debate was sponsored by The Gazette, Colorado Politics, KOAA and the El Pomar Foundation. Candidates were given one minute for most answers, with shorter rebuttals and a rapid-fire segment later in the evening.
The contest comes as Democrats increasingly view the historically Republican district as competitive. Crank won his first election to the seat in 2024, while Killin is seeking to become the first Democrat elected to represent the district since its creation.
Affordability and housing
The candidates opened their policy discussion with one of the issues most frequently cited by voters: the cost of living.
Killin argued that Colorado families are struggling with housing costs, wages and inflation. She called for policies encouraging the construction of more starter homes in the $200,000 to $300,000 range, a first-time homebuyer tax credit and changes that could make down payments more manageable.
She also argued that tariffs are increasing construction costs and said Congress should use incentives to encourage builders to produce more affordable housing. Killin pointed to construction-defect laws as another obstacle to building condominiums and other lower-cost housing in Colorado.
Crank agreed that housing affordability is a significant problem but placed more emphasis on regulation.
He pointed to what he described as the high cost of government regulation in Colorado and highlighted his support for federal housing legislation. Crank also discussed legislation he has introduced aimed at reducing environmental regulatory costs and another proposal that would allow certain student loan holders to receive up to $25,000 toward their debt when purchasing a home.
The candidates also differed over the broader causes of inflation.
Crank repeatedly pointed to the Biden administration's record, citing the 9% inflation rate reached during that administration and arguing that tax cuts, deregulation and economic growth are the best ways to improve affordability.
Killin countered that families continue to feel squeezed despite changes in inflation and argued that the Republican tax package disproportionately benefited wealthy Americans while tariffs have added costs for consumers.
Iran and the role of Congress
The sharpest exchanges of the night came during a discussion of the war with Iran.
Killin questioned President Donald Trump's decision to enter military operations against Iran and argued that Congress needs to reassert its constitutional authority over military action.
She said the administration entered the conflict without a sufficiently clear strategy for how the war would end and argued that Congress should use its War Powers authority to provide a check on the executive branch.
Crank defended the administration's decision, saying he had participated in classified briefings and believed Iran posed a direct threat to U.S. troops.
Crank said he opposed voting to withdraw support from troops already deployed and argued that doing so could put American service members at greater risk.
The two candidates also disagreed over the broader consequences of the conflict, including rising energy costs, the depletion of military munitions and America's relationship with NATO.
Killin argued that the war has strained alliances and left the United States in a weaker strategic position. Crank maintained that the United States needs to rebuild its military capabilities and that NATO members should contribute more to their own defense.
Military readiness and Fort Carson
Military issues carried particular weight in a district with a large military presence.
Both candidates emphasized their military backgrounds and discussed concerns surrounding service members' quality of life.
Killin, an Army veteran, criticized the length of deployments and concerns about food and living conditions for troops, arguing that military readiness depends not only on weapons and equipment but also on troop morale and welfare.
Crank countered by pointing to military pay and housing benefits included in the Republican tax legislation. He also argued that years of underinvestment in defense had left the United States short of ships, munitions and other capabilities.
The candidates agreed that military spending should be scrutinized for waste, although they differed over how recent efforts to reduce federal spending have been carried out.
Killin said some cuts associated with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, were poorly executed and argued that reductions had cost federal workers their jobs without necessarily producing meaningful savings.
Crank said government programs should be reviewed for inefficiency and waste, while acknowledging that some of the DOGE cuts could have been handled differently. He also pointed to inefficiencies within the Defense Department and the need for acquisition reform.
Health care and Medicaid
Health care produced another major disagreement.
Crank defended provisions of the Republican budget legislation that establish work requirements for certain able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid. He argued that recipients should work, attend school or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week and described the requirement as a common-sense approach to the program.
Killin argued that the changes could result in hundreds of thousands of Coloradans losing health coverage and said families are already facing steep increases in health insurance costs.
The two also criticized aspects of the current health insurance system, creating one of the night's rare areas of agreement.
Crank said his own health insurance premium is roughly $1,200 a month and argued that the Affordable Care Act has failed to control costs.
Killin agreed that insurance companies need greater oversight and argued for a broader overhaul of the health insurance system.
Immigration
Immigration produced another clear ideological divide, although the candidates agreed that violent criminals who are in the country illegally should be prioritized for deportation.
Killin called for comprehensive immigration reform, including a functioning legal immigration system and a pathway to citizenship. She criticized what she characterized as overly aggressive enforcement against people who are not violent criminals and argued that immigration policies are also affecting Colorado's economy and workforce.
Crank argued that the federal government must enforce existing immigration laws and credited the Trump administration with securing the southern border.
He said immigration reform should be considered after border security is addressed and emphasized that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should focus on violent criminals.
Both candidates ultimately said they support prioritizing dangerous criminals for deportation, but they differed sharply over the scope of current enforcement and how Congress should approach broader immigration reform.
Social Security
Social Security was one of the final major policy questions of the evening.
Crank said Congress cannot ignore the program's projected financial problems and argued Republicans and Democrats will have to work together to protect current beneficiaries while preserving Social Security for future generations.
Killin argued that recent Republican legislation worsened the program's long-term financial outlook. She proposed raising the income cap so that higher earners would continue paying into Social Security on more of their income, arguing that doing so could strengthen the program's finances.
Neither candidate presented a single comprehensive solution during the debate, but both agreed that protecting Social Security's long-term viability should be a priority.
Where the candidates agreed
Despite the sharp partisan exchanges, the debate also revealed several areas of agreement.
Both candidates said they support restrictions on members of Congress trading individual stocks. Crank said he has supported a ban and has not purchased publicly traded stock since joining Congress. Killin said the restrictions should extend beyond Congress to the executive and judicial branches.
They also agreed that decisions about where data centers are located should generally remain at the local level, rather than being dictated by Congress.
The candidates expressed support for reviewing government spending for waste and inefficiency, although Killin criticized the execution of some DOGE cuts while Crank argued that significant reforms are still needed.
Both also expressed support for strengthening the military, although their disagreements centered on how much should be spent, how it should be managed and how military force should be used overseas.
A race attracting national attention
The debate comes as Colorado's 5th District draws increasing attention from both parties.
The district has historically been a Republican stronghold, but Democrats see changing demographics and recent election results as evidence that the seat could become competitive.
An internal poll released by Killin's campaign in July showed Crank leading 45% to 44%, with 11% undecided among likely voters. The survey had a 4.6 percentage-point margin of error.
National Democrats have also targeted the district, while Crank continues to campaign on his record and his ties to the Pikes Peak region.
Both candidates used their closing statements to emphasize their local roots and their commitment to representing El Paso County.
Crank pointed to his years living in Colorado Springs and his work on issues involving Fort Carson, local infrastructure and the broader Pikes Peak region.
Killin emphasized her Colorado Springs upbringing and military service and promised to hold regular in-person town halls and remain accessible to constituents.
With another debate scheduled for September, Thursday night's event offered voters the first extended comparison between the two candidates heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
The central question for voters in November will be whether they want to continue with Crank's Republican approach and alignment with the Trump administration, or give Killin an opportunity to bring a Democratic voice to a congressional district that has never elected one.
For now, the debate demonstrated that while the candidates occasionally found common ground, they remain sharply divided over the economy, health care, foreign policy, immigration and the proper role of Congress in Washington.
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