ASPEN — Win or lose, Democrat Adam Frisch shocked Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and the national Democratic establishment that gave him little chance of succeeding in Tuesday’s election. 

Logging thousands of miles driving across a district the size of Mississippi, his goal was to meet voters in person and overcome the stigma of being a millionaire from Aspen. The race in the 3rd Congressional District was still too close to call on Wednesday, but Frisch held a narrow lead in a district that was widely believed to favor Republicans.

Frisch, a former currency trader whose only political experience was serving on Aspen’s city council, sought to make a case that he was a moderate Democrat who would focus on western Colorado and not be a part of what he calls the D.C. circus.

“I am a calm, cool, collected person and passionate about why I’m doing this and what I believe in. And people just want competency and seriousness,” he told The Colorado Sun as his watch party started Tuesday night in downtown Aspen. “The line I used that resonated the most is people just want the circus to stop and I saw a lot of heads go up and down, even when I was in some pretty Republican areas. 

“Most people, ranchers and farmers are pragmatic,” he said. “They don’t want the circus. They want someone to focus on them and their business and their community.”

Read more on ColoadoSun.com.