

If this election cycle was a referendum on Democratic leadership, he takes it to mean voters like the party’s priorities.

“Democrats delivered on what they said they were going to deliver on, and that’s why we have such a huge majority,” Garnett, of Denver, said.įenberg, of Boulder, said affordability, climate and eliminating the deficit in education funding will be among his caucus’s top priorities for the upcoming session. They’re accomplishments that Democrats ran on, he said, and put the party on the precipice of a “vast majority” in a chamber they’ve had comfortable control over for years.
#Colorado recent news free
Good night for Democrats, though they say Colorado is still “a purple state”Īlec Garnett, the outgoing speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, rattled off a slew of his party’s recent victories since voters delivered Democrats control of state government in 2018: codified protections for abortion rights caps on insulin free preschool for 10 hours a week. But if the results hold, Democrats will return to the Capitol in January with their majorities intact and with a mandate, officials said. Republicans cautioned that some races were still to be decided and that votes are still being counted. Larson did not return requests for comments.Īs of Wednesday afternoon, races had been called for Democrats in 38 of the 65 state House seats, with eight more too close to call - and all were leaning Democrat. Colin Larson, the Ken Caryl Republican set to be elected minority leader on Thursday, lost to Democratic challenger Tammy Story. But close, targeted races in El Paso County, in the mountains and in northwest Colorado were trending blue. In the House, Democrats had hoped to lose only a handful of seats. Several close races in the Denver suburbs also ended up in the Democrats’ column. In northwest Colorado, Democrat Dylan Roberts beat Matt Solomon. In Pueblo, Democrat Nick Hinrichsen - appointed to the seat in February - beat Republican Stephen Varela. Instead, Democrats won closely watched - and heavily financed - races across the state. But today, not only are we going to keep the majority, we are going to be exceeding all expectations.” There was a new frontier for the GOP in Colorado. “This was the chamber that was going to flip. “Everybody was counting the Senate Democrats out,” Steve Fenberg, leader of Colorado’s Senate Democrats, said at his party’s election night get-together. Democrats claim continued control of the state legislature Here are four takeaways from Democrat’s surprisingly good night. Republicans had run their best slate in recent memory, one party official said, and yet they ended the night wondering how much the state had shifted away from them. Senate and celebrated what appeared to be a continued trifecta control of the legislature and governor’s office. John Hickenlooper predicted his party might be on the precipice of a “wave-lett” in Colorado.Ĭolorado’s junior senator, who’s had his own electoral close calls as governor before being on the winning side of 2020’s blowout, underestimated the outcome.Ĭolorado Democrats - facing a shaky, inflationary economy, a typically baleful midterm environment where their party controls the White House, and relentless attacks over drugs and crime - swept the statewide constitutional offices, fended off Republicans’ “perfect candidate” for the U.S. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close MenuĪs the top-ticket races started falling in Democrats’ favor Tuesday night, U.S.
