Colorado's 6th Congressional District election, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 29[2]
- Early voting: Mail ballots available Oct. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required for in-person voting
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2020 →
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| Colorado's 6th Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 20, 2018 |
| Primary: June 26, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Mike Coffman (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Colorado |
| Race ratings |
Cook Political Report: Lean Democratic Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th Colorado elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
Former Army Ranger Jason Crow (D) defeated incumbent Rep. Mike Coffman (R) in the general election for Colorado's 6th District on November 6, 2018.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.
Coffman was first elected in 2009. Although he won re-election by a margin of victory of two points in 2012, he gained victory with a margin of at least eight points in the the two elections leading up to 2018. But this Democratic-leaning district also supported Hillary Clinton (D) over Donald Trump (R) by nine points in the 2016 presidential election. The race received national attention since before the primaries, and political analyst Eric Sondermann theorized in August 2018 that "whichever party wins this district will control Congress come January."[3]
Third party and independent candidates included Kat Martin (L), Dan Chapin (Unaffiliated), and write-in candidate Christopher Allen (G).
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for U.S. House Colorado District 6
Jason Crow defeated incumbent Mike Coffman, Kat Martin, and Dan Chapin in the general election for U.S. House Colorado District 6 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Crow (D) | 54.1 | 187,639 | |
| Mike Coffman (R) | 42.9 | 148,685 | ||
| Kat Martin (L) | 1.7 | 5,886 | ||
| Dan Chapin (Unaffiliated) | 1.3 | 4,607 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 5 | ||
| Total votes: 346,822 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 6
Jason Crow defeated Levi Tillemann in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 6 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Crow | 65.9 | 49,851 | |
| Levi Tillemann | 34.1 | 25,757 | ||
| Total votes: 75,608 | ||||
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- David Aarestad (D)
- Erik Stanger (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 6
Incumbent Mike Coffman advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 6 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mike Coffman | 100.0 | 56,703 | |
| Total votes: 56,703 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Roger Edwards (R)
Candidate profiles
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Crow served in the U.S. Army after spending time as an ROTC member during his college years. He also served in the National Guard. His professional experience includes working as an attorney. He was an advisor to former President Barack Obama on military and veteran issues during his re-election campaign and co-chaired Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Veterans Affairs Transition Committee.[4]
- Crow's campaign ads focused on criticism of Mike Coffman and his response to school shootings, saying that he has accepted more money from the NRA than any other congressman. "We're angry about the fact that we now have politicians in this country who are more concerned about their donors....than they are about the cries and pleas of people in this community that demand action and demand it now."[5]
- Crow's campaign platform included universal healthcare, a detailed firearms policy, affordable housing, and changes to the U.S. immigration policy.[6]
Party: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Political office: Colorado Secretary of State (2007-2008), Colorado Treasurer (1999-2007), Colorado State Senate (1994-1998), Colorado House of Representatives (1989-1994)
Biography: Coffman enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1972 and was assigned to a mechanized infantry battalion. The following year, he earned a high school diploma through an army program. Leaving active duty for the U.S. Army Reserve in 1974, he entered the University of Colorado, graduating in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in political science.[7] Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps until 1982. He was first elected to office in 1989.
- Coffman's campaign website highlighted addressing the immigration system, promoting skills-based education, and giving states discretion to reduce healthcare costs and broaden healthcare access.[8]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Colorado's 6th Congressional District election, Crow vs. Coffman | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | Jason Crow | Mike Coffman | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
| NYT Upshot/Siena College October 13-17, 2018 | The New York Times | 47% | 38% | 9% | +/-4.5 | 506 | |||||||||||||
| Normington Petts September 18-23, 2018 | End Citizens United | 49% | 38% | 13% | +/-4.9 | 400 | |||||||||||||
| NYT Upshot/Siena College September 12-14, 2018 | The New York Times | 51% | 40% | 9% | +/-4.8 | 500 | |||||||||||||
| The Tarrance Group September 11-13, 2018 | Coffman campaign | 46% | 45% | 9% | +/-4.9 | 400 | |||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | |||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado's 6th Congressional District election, Crow vs. Coffman | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | Jason Crow | Mike Coffman | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Public Policy Polling February 15-18, 2018 | End Citizens United | 44% | 39% | +/-3.6 | 751 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Coffman | Republican Party | $3,807,320 | $3,823,933 | $0 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Jason Crow | Democratic Party | $5,712,547 | $5,667,236 | $45,310 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Kat Martin | Libertarian Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Dan Chapin | Unaffiliated | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[9][10][11]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
- The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) announced it was stopping all planned advertising supporting Coffman on September 28, 2018. The group had $1 million reserved in tv ads.[12]
- The CLF spent $764,000 on an ad opposing Jason Crow in late August.[13]
- End Citizens United will spend $625,000 on television advertising and $150,000 on digital advertising in this race.[14]
- Everytown for Gun Safety launched a $724,000 television ad buy supporting Crow on November 1, 2018.[15]
- Giffords PAC announced a $1.5 million ad buy against Coffman on September 24, 2018.[16]
- The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said it would spend an additional $600,000 on TV reservations in the district on September 28, 2018.[12]
- The NRCC announced it was pulling $1 million in previously-committed funding from the race on October 22, 2018.[17]
- Onward Together, a political action committee formed by Hillary Clinton, donated $5,000 to Crow in June 2018.[18]
- VoteVets spent $609,000 on a television ad buy and $75,000 on a digital ad buy for Crow in early October.[19]
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
| Race ratings: Colorado's 6th Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Democratic | Tilt Democratic | Tilt Democratic | Tilt Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+2, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 2 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Colorado's 6th Congressional District the 183rd most Democratic nationally.[20]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.03. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.03 points toward that party.[21]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
| General election endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Jason Crow | Mike Coffman | |
| National figures | |||
| Joe Biden[22] | ✔ | ||
| Newspapers | |||
| The Denver Post[23] | ✔ | ||
| The Aurora Sentinel[24] | ✔ | ||
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
Jason Crow
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Mike Coffman
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Campaign themes
The campaign themes below were taken from the candidates' 2018 campaign websites.
Mike Coffman
National Security
The United States must have the best trained, best led, and best equipped military in the world. Weakness invites aggression. While our defense priorities must be fully funded, wasteful spending in the defense budget must be cut by reducing the bloated Pentagon bureaucracy, acquisition reform, and getting our allies to shoulder their share of the burden.
Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is mired in a culture of bureaucratic incompetence and corruption where no one responsible for wrongdoing is ever held accountable. The VA has failed to meet our nation’s obligations to the men and women, who have served our nation in uniform, and who have made tremendous sacrifices in defense of our freedom. VA whistleblowers must be protected and veterans who live 40 miles outside of a VA facility, or can’t get an appointment within 30 days, must be allowed to go a private health care provider, reimbursed by the VA.
Health Care Reform
Health care cost have not gone down under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, as promised. The consumer protections under the ACA, such as allowing dependents to stay on a parent’s policy until age 26, and prohibiting discrimination based on gender or pre-existing conditions should remain. Beyond that, states should be given discretion, within broad parameters, to devise their own solutions to bring down cost and to broaden access. For example, instead of requiring everyone to have the exact same coverage, allow states to maintain a “high risk” pool for those with pre-existing conditions that all the insured pay into. Other reforms such as making individual insurance premiums tax deductible and bringing down the high cost of the defensive practice of medicine through medical malpractice reform.
Saving Social Security
We can start with reforming the Social Security Disability program that is being abused due to poorly written laws, unscrupulous lawyers, and too many abled-bodied workers seeking an early retirement. The solvency problem of the Social Security Disability program is bleeding into the Social Security program for seniors who have earned their benefits from a lifetime of hard work. Congress must reform the disability program and restore the payroll taxes that it took from the Social Security Supplemental program for seniors to prop up the disability program.
Saving Medicare
Medical cost for seniors, under Medicare, can be dramatically reduced, stabilizing the long term health of the program, without cutting benefits by reforming the delivery system and focusing on research on innovations such as treatments using adult stem cells that ultimately could lead to procedures and treatments that are less invasive, less costly, and with better outcomes.
Small Business
Small business is the engine that drives economic development but they are being strangled by regulatory red tape and high taxes preventing them from expanding and creating more jobs. We need to cut taxes to help small business start-ups and reduce the regulatory burdens that are hurting our small businesses.
Education
I have supported temporary measures to help those with student debt. However, the focus and incentives also need to be on promoting skills-based education with an emphasis on the shorter certificate and vocational training programs that train for jobs that pay a living wage and provide a path into the middle class. An elitist bias against the trades is putting far too many young people on a path to poverty because they are graduating from four-year colleges & universities with non-technical degrees. As a result, their job prospects are little better than if they had never gone to college. The only difference is that they now are burdened with debt.
Balanced Budget Amendment
The greatest threat to the long-term stability of the United States is our rising and unsustainable national debt. A constitutional amendment, to strip the power away from the Congress to continually spend money that our country does not have, must be passed by Congress and referred to the states for ratification.
Welfare Reform
No doubt, it is the proper role of government to help those who cannot help themselves but, unfortunately, government often crosses the line to help those who can help themselves but have forgotten how. For individuals, this means that all able-bodied individuals should be required to participate in work, training or education, in exchange for receiving any form of public assistance. For corporations, corporate welfare programs are costly to taxpayers, hurt the competitiveness of American businesses, and ultimately, raise prices to consumers. Tax cuts and regulatory relief should always treat all businesses equally and not written to the exclusive benefit of a specific corporation or industry.
Environment
The United States should do everything that it reasonably can to protect the environment and to reduce our carbon footprint. We have made tremendous progress, and through innovation, will continue to do so. However, we need to put more pressure, through negotiating trade agreements, on our trading partners to do more so that the burden does not continue to fall disproportionately on the American worker.
Immigration
I would support a legal status but not a special path to citizenship for the adults who knowingly violated our immigration laws and have not violated any criminal laws. I have been and will continue to be an outspoken proponent for reform. I have routinely and publicly stood up to my own my party to call for reform. Immigration reform is about securing our borders, growing our economy and keeping families together.
I introduced the Military Enlistment Opportunity Act (H.R. 3698) in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill, if enacted, will permit DREAMers to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States. Those who choose to do so would earn citizenship through their military service.
DREAMers are individuals who already have conditional immigration status and who consider this country their home. The bill extends to DREAMers the same life experiences that were afforded to me, my late father, and countless others – the opportunity to serve with other Americans from every corner of our nation as one team toward a common goal: our nation’s security.
Earlier this year, I also co-sponsored the Recognizing American Children Act which if enacted, will provide legal status and a path to Lawful Permanent Resident status for those currently eligible under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program is for individuals who were brought here as children, grew up here, went to school here, and don’t know of any other country as home. If they can demonstrate their commitment to keeping a job or getting an education, or they enlist in the military, they can become Lawful Permanent Residents and from there they can apply for citizenship.[25]
Jason Crow
Better Jobs and More Economic Opportunity Coloradans deserve good-paying jobs that can support their families. Despite Colorado’s relatively low unemployment rate, too many families within the 6th District are facing economic hardship. Wages and benefits have failed to keep up with the cost of living in Colorado, especially in the expensive Metro area. Hardworking Coloradans are struggling to raise their families and achieve the American Dream.
By investing in workforce development, apprenticeship training, and growing industries like healthcare, technology, and renewable energy, we can open the door to career advancement and better opportunities for Colorado families. I fought alongside other veterans to bring the new VA hospital to Aurora and will continue my fight to bring similar high-paying jobs to the 6th District.
We must attract better jobs that have good wages and benefits to ensure that Coloradans can afford a home, finance a college education or specialized job training, access health care, and save for retirement. We also must make sure that all work provides dignity and living wages. In addition to ensuring good wages, benefits, and educational opportunities, we must work to ensure that our economy provides opportunities for people to move up the economic ladder by defending consumer protections and corporate oversight. For many families, child care, home ownership, and retirement are all economic barriers. We must reduce these barriers for people so that they have opportunities to get ahead.
Campaign Finance Reform
Washington is broken. Politicians are in the pockets of the special interests that spend millions of dollars to get them elected. They stack the decks for their donors and Colorado families pay the price. We can unrig the system by ending the flood of unlimited and undisclosed money that is drowning out the voices of regular people. I will fight to bring accountability to Washington and end the corrupting influence of special interest money so that our government serves all Coloradans, not just big donors. This is why I have promised not to take a dime of corporate PAC money. I will fight to end the influence of dark money in politics, keep foreign money out of US politics, commit to openness and transparency in my own congressional office, support the DISCLOSE Act, and fight to overturn Citizens United.
Civil Rights and Criminal Justice Reform
We cannot ignore inequities that still exist in many communities and the effects they have on communities of color. It is the duty of anyone who believes in our nation’s core values, to stand up with one voice and clearly denounce all forms of bigotry and hatred. American communities have been torn apart by injustices facing communities of color. We must acknowledge this and tackle inequities where they exist so that we can provide safety, opportunity, and dignity for all Americans. I fought beside soldiers who came from different racial, religious, and economic backgrounds – people who forged bonds and became brothers and sisters. We need to move toward a place of respect, understanding, and honesty so that we can make those same strides in Colorado communities.
In Congress, I will fight for justice and equal treatment for all by promoting criminal justice policies to improve law enforcement, reduce incarceration, decriminalize marijuana, and strengthen communities. Mass incarceration, unequal application of the justice system based on race and class, and the long-term impacts of incarceration on employment, housing, and re-integration point to a criminal justice system in need of reform. I support innovative, data-based reforms such as restorative justice that are designed to keep the public safer and address the underlying causes of crimes. Nationally, roughly 77% of those released from prison are rearrested within five years. Research shows that longer sentences actually make recidivism more, not less likely. The deck is stacked against individuals with a criminal conviction who struggle to re-enter the workforce, find stable housing, and maintain a steady paycheck – challenges that greatly increase the chances of recidivism. Many of those in the criminal justice system suffer from mental illness or substance abuse, and prisons remain ill-equipped to offer treatment and rehabilitation services.
We must protect and strengthen our communities. We must work to fight discrimination in our criminal justice sentencing. We must protect voting rights and all civil rights. In my civic work I’ve helped bridge the trust divide between law enforcement and our community. I’ve worked to reform law enforcement training to better address the inequities facing our communities of color. In Congress I will continue this work to protect civil rights and community safety.
Defending our Democracy
America’s democratic institutions and the Rule of Law must be defended. One of my proudest accomplishments is leading paratroopers in combat for this country. Wearing the American flag on my shoulder and fighting for America is something that left a lasting mark on my life and my values. I saw countries that struggled to enforce the Rule of Law, due process, and individual rights. I served in the Army in places of the world where citizens cannot depend on these pillars of democracy. When I came home, I continued my fight for these same values as I began my legal career and took another oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I have experienced first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of our criminal justice system – including prosecuting criminal cases and representing those accused of crimes. Now, as a lawyer who specializes in conducting independent legal investigations, I know how critical Congress’ power to investigate is for understanding facts, discovering corruption and culpability, and holding people accountable.
We are faced with unprecedented challenges to our institutions and democratic norms. I will never waver in my fight to ensure that our democracy is strong and that Americans can trust their government and elected representatives. I am proud of my commitment to democratic values and in Congress I will draw on my prior service to this country and my legal skills to continue that fight every day.
Education
Young people should have access to high quality education, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay. I owe much of my success to strong public neighborhood schools. Every child deserves the same. Colorado’s public school funding system has left too many children behind. In Congress, I will fight cuts in funding and voucher proposals that will only make this problem worse for Colorado’s families.
America has the best colleges, universities, and technical training in the world, but all too often our students cannot afford to pursue their education. Americans owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt. That’s about $620 billion more than the total U.S. credit card debt. We must ensure that student loans are affordable, costs of higher education are reasonable, and that community colleges and technical training opportunities are available and reliable so that job training and re-training for tomorrow’s economy is available to all Americans. All hardworking students should have the option to pursue education or advanced training without fear of a massive price tag. Hardworking students too often face the choice of bypassing higher education or taking on the burden of overwhelming student debt.
Our young people should not have to make the choice between an education and eventually owning a home. Congress, I will support legislation to allow people to re-finance and consolidate student loans, lower the costs of education and advanced training, and provide loan forgiveness to those who work in public service careers.
Environment
We must fight climate change and protect the Colorado that we love. Climate change is the defining issue of our age. This is not just a vague idea for my family or any family that enjoys Colorado’s beautiful outdoors. My children are 5th generation Coloradans and our family has seen the state change over the decades. Coloradans can already see the effects of long-term drought, higher temperatures, and natural disasters.
America must again be a global leader to help solve our world’s most pressing problems, and climate change is no different. We must re-engage with other nations to work towards climate solutions, including encouraging clean energy transitions. Pushing for renewable energy development will also help grow our economy and create good-paying jobs. I will also fight to ensure that our public lands are not sold off to the highest bidder or destroyed by irresponsible drilling and mining. We must fight to protect our clean air, clean water, and public health.
Communities across America depend on government funding to help treat drinking water, detect lead contamination, clean up abandoned mines and waste sites, and for other important projects to ensure our families are safe from pollution. Leaving a healthy planet for our children and grandchildren will always be a priority for me and should never be a pawn in political games.
Foreign Policy
American security and prosperity require a dynamic, nuanced, and influential foreign policy, where America projects its interests rather than withdraws behind our borders. I saw the power of America’s defense capabilities during my time in the Army, but also saw first-hand the importance of our diplomatic and development capacities. Over the last 20 years, our foreign policy has increasingly been defined by the three “D’s”—Diplomacy, Defense, and Development. While spending the largest portion of our budget on defense, our security and economic interests are increasingly dependent on negotiating through a complex, competitive, and often dangerous world. Diplomacy saves American lives. Our military leaders support diplomacy and development assistance as tools to avoid needless conflict that take the lives of American troops and civilians, and waste expensive military assets.
America needs to resume its global leadership position in international institutions, and promote human rights and democracy abroad. Our absence from global negotiations and our abrogating commitments has frightened our allies, weakened our alliances, and signaled to our enemies that we are weak. Retreating from our global leadership position is not an option, and will not move the world to a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous place for our children.
Gun Violence Protection
Each year, 33,000 Americans die from gun violence and another 130,000 are shot. Here in Colorado we’ve dealt with two of the nation’s worst mass shootings in Aurora and Littleton. Coloradans know that we do not have to choose between Second Amendment protections and safer communities. As a hunter and former Army Ranger, I know that there are many responsible gun owners in Colorado, but also knows what guns are capable of and that common-sense reforms are needed to reduce gun violence.
Simple, common-sense laws that are supported by a huge majority of Americans can help make our communities, schools, and homes safer from gun violence. Background checks have prevented over 2.4 million gun sales to felons, domestic abusers, and dangerously mentally ill individuals. But, loopholes still allow up to 40% of gun sales to go unchecked. Coloradans support closing these types of loopholes.
Mike Coffman has taken more money from the gun lobby than anyone else in Colorado’s Congressional delegation. I have pledged not only that I will not take any corporate PAC money, but I will never take a dime from the gun lobby. My priority in Congress will be to work towards solutions to gun violence and I will always put our children, our families, and our communities first.
Healthcare
Health care is a right, not a privilege. No American should suffer because they cannot afford health care. It is that simple. For too long, career politicians in Washington have played politics with the lives of Americans whose survival depends on affordable health care. We need to move past gridlock and work toward a bipartisan solution. The Affordable Care Act needs improvement in certain areas, but unlike Mike Coffman, I want to fix the system, rather than abandon it in favor of a tax break for the wealthy. We can begin by stabilizing the individual market and lowering prescription drug prices to increase competition and make them more affordable for consumers. We need to protect the health care of the tens of millions of Americans who now have coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act increased coverage so that 90% of Americans can access health care, but we cannot settle for less than coverage for all Americans. That’s why I believe that we must not only protect hard-won gains under the ACA, but also work towards universal health care. I will fight for a public option that will reduce costs for consumers and increase their choices. Over 170-million Americans get coverage through their employers and many of them want to keep their coverage. Another 20-million are covered by Medicare Advantage and do not want to lose their plan. Ensuring universal health care coverage while also not forcing people to give up coverage that works for them is a difficult balance. We must fight for universal coverage because no American should go bankrupt to afford health care for themselves or their family.
Housing Affordability
Ensuring that everyone has access to affordable housing is critical to ensuring the strength of our economy and the social fabric of our nation, and for too long Washington has ignored the growing housing crisis. Colorado, along with the rest of the nation, is facing an affordable housing crisis, and I will make increasing the supply of affordable housing one of my primary goals in Congress.
No one should be forced to choose between a roof over their heads, food on the table, medical care, or an education. We need our teachers, police, firefighters, health care workers, and other first responders to live in the communities they serve so that they are vested in the long-term outcomes of the cities in which they work and live. Housing prices and rents have risen too high and too quickly for most working families to afford a decent place to live.
Colorado has only 27 available affordable housing units for every 100 eligible renters. More than 290,000 households in Colorado are severely burdened by housing costs, spending more than 50% of their income for a roof over their heads, leaving little left over for other basic needs. We need to leverage government resources in partnership with private sector activity to create new affordable housing based on a multi-pronged approach that supports both for sale and rental housing.
Immigration
Our immigrant neighbors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and our laws should reflect that. During my time in the Army, I served with people of all backgrounds, political persuasions, and nationalities. I served with immigrants whose commitment to our country was never questioned. All that mattered was that we had each other’s backs. The 6th District is home to over 100,000 immigrants who help make our community such a special place to live. These immigrants came to America in pursuit of a better life for their families.
I believe we should provide the Dreamers with a path towards citizenship and reform the immigration system to bring the millions of other undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and provides certainty to them and their families. I will support immigrants brought to America as children. They are vital for our economy, are eager to serve in our military or ready to thrive in our universities, and they came here through no fault of their own. Many of them also have family members who are American citizens. Family unity is a bedrock, core value of our society. Our immigration and visa policies must reflect that. Keeping families together has been part of our visa system for decades, and for good reason. We must insure that family-based immigration stands on equal footing with business- and skills-based immigration.
Making sure we have secure borders that prevent the illegal flow of weapons and drugs into America is a priority for every member of Congress. But, we need to be smarter about the border and not waste billions of dollars on an ineffective wall. A comprehensive approach to immigration reform and visa processing is also necessary. American businesses need workers in virtually all sectors – from agriculture and construction to hospitals and boardrooms.
We should support the policy that has been in place for generations allowing an expedited path to citizenship for people who serve in the military. For those who want to strengthen our nation and to provide for their families, we can find a way to welcome them.
LGBTQ Rights
No American should face discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. In 2012 I was honored to speak at the Democratic National Convention in support of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I was extremely proud to speak on behalf of President Obama and to stand up for equality in the military. Since the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the LGBTQ community has won a few critical legal battles, including for marriage equality.
However, our LGBTQ neighbors continue to be a target of hate, discrimination, and unequal treatment under the law. It is no coincidence that LQBTQ youth have the highest rate of suicide in the nation. Retaliating against the success of marriage equality in 2015, many states are enacting draconian legislation that will allow businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples on the basis of religious freedom, and six states have already passed laws that prevent local governments from extending non-discrimination protections to same-sex couples.
We should continually strive to expand marriage equality, workplace protections, enforcement of hate crime laws, and protections for LGBTQ military personnel and veterans. In Congress I will continue fighting to ensure that LGBTQ Americans have the same rights and protections that all Americans should have, and to prevent the rollback of the progress that so many Americans have fought for.
Transportation and Infrastructure
The Colorado economy of tomorrow will be built on the roads, bridges, and infrastructure of today. Our infrastructure, once the envy of the world, is now crumbling and unsafe in many places. Not only do we need to fix today’s backlog of road and bridge projects, but we also must plan for tomorrow’s needs. This includes planning for population growth and more sustainable and affordable transportation options. Colorado’s 6th District has seen tremendous growth and development, but much of this has outpaced our local investments, seen most clearly in our water supply problems and traffic gridlock. Our infrastructure repairs, planning, and building must balance growth, economic development, and sustainable long-term solutions that benefit all Coloradans.
Beyond ensuring that our infrastructure remains safe into the future, we must also envision what Coloradans will need in the decades to come. We must invest in infrastructure and transportation systems that help us build tomorrow’s economy. I will focus on two main priorities to accomplish this: creating access for all Coloradans to high-speed internet and planning transportation systems that provide greater choice and sustainable options. We cannot continue to try to build bigger highways – experts know that this does not solve congestion problems. To solve our development and traffic problems we can build smarter, more innovative, and more sustainable solutions for the future.
Veterans
We must fight for those who fought for us by protecting veterans’ benefits, improving the benefits claims system, and improving access, quality, and timeliness of VA health care. I was proud to fight alongside some of the finest men and women this country has to offer. These veterans have earned their benefits and deserve the best care this country has to offer. We must fulfill our promises to the brave men and women who fight for us by protecting their medical care, access to mental health resources, compensation for service connected disabilities, education benefits, and by helping them transition to civilian life to include meaningful employment.
I also know that homelessness among veterans is unacceptable and will fight to care for our veterans. When I returned home after serving in the U.S. Army, I struggled to access my own benefits. This inspired me to begin fighting for veterans in Colorado. I worked with other veteran leaders and elected officials to secure the funding for the new VA hospital in Aurora. I help veterans as they transition to civilian life. I also donate hundreds of hours of legal pro bono work for veterans and organizations that work to help veterans with substance abuse and other issues. I will never stop fighting for those who served our country.
When we send men and women to fight our wars, we promise to take care of them and their families. The Veterans Administration was once known for its excellent health care system, but has been plagued by underfunding and mismanagement. I will work tirelessly to ensure that our veterans can rely on quality and timely medical care and mental health care and will fight attempts to privatize the VA. Nearly three million Americans have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. When they return home, many struggle to transition back to civilian life. Protecting veterans’ education benefits and working to promote employment and career development of veterans can help ease this difficult transition for many veterans.
Women's Rights
Equal pay is not only a women’s issue – it is also a moral, family, and economic issue. As of 2015, nearly 45 percent of women mothers were the breadwinners for their families, yet they are still making .84 cents on the dollar in Colorado. In our country it is a moral issue to treat everyone equally for the work they do. Equal pay will also help grow our economy and support families by making home ownership, education, advanced training, and retirement more accessible for more Coloradans. Mike Coffman voted against equal pay for women. In Congress I will always fight to ensure that women are paid equally for the work they do.
Colorado families are working hard to make ends meet, a task made harder when a family welcomes a new child or someone falls sick and paid leave is not available. We cannot support parents, promote early childhood development, or care for our aging generations without policies that make it possible for American workers to care for their families without fear of losing pay or their jobs. I believe it is time to move our economy into the 21st century. That includes modern family leave policies. I will fight to ensure that all workers are able to care for their families without enduring financial hardship – whether they need sick time, parental leave, or time to care for family members.
Existing penalties are woefully inadequate to punish those who abused their power and violated the trust of their subordinates and the American people.We must hold our elected leaders to a higher standard of conduct. When ethics investigations find that members of Congress have committed sexual harassment or assault – or they resign to avoid the consequences of such an investigation – they should lose their congressional pension.
I will fight to protect a woman’s right to choose. Women should have the right to make health care decisions that are right for them and their families. It is truly shameful that we still have to defend a woman’s right to make her own health care choices. Stripping women’s health care funding from the federal budget and removing protections for women’s health care from our laws will hurt families across the country and in Colorado. In Congress, I will protect a woman’s right to choose, while simultaneously working to continue funding critical resources like Planned Parenthood. I will also fight to ensure that protections for maternity care are not removed from our health care laws and that families are able to take paid sick leave. I look at my daughter and cannot stand to think that she will have to wage this same fight when she is grown. But you do not have to have a daughter to support women and families across the country.[26]
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Republican district won by Hillary Clinton
This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.[27] Nearly all were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.
Click on the table below to see the full list of districts.
Click here to see the 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won.
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Four of 64 Colorado counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Conejos County, Colorado | 3.56% | 9.22% | 12.93% | ||||
| Huerfano County, Colorado | 6.61% | 8.27% | 11.23% | ||||
| Las Animas County, Colorado | 15.60% | 2.65% | 7.04% | ||||
| Pueblo County, Colorado | 0.50% | 13.99% | 14.97% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Colorado with 48.2 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 43.3 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Colorado voted Republican 63.3 percent of the time and Democratic 36.7 percent of the time. Colorado voted Republican in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, but voted Democratic in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 elections.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Colorado. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[32][33]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 37 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 27.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 40 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 24.8 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 28 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 21.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 25 out of 65 state House districts in Colorado with an average margin of victory of 25.8 points. Trump won one district controlled by a Democrat heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 63.79% | 34.04% | D+29.8 | 59.82% | 32.28% | D+27.5 | D |
| 2 | 72.48% | 24.78% | D+47.7 | 75.22% | 16.32% | D+58.9 | D |
| 3 | 52.36% | 45.33% | D+7 | 53.90% | 37.16% | D+16.7 | D |
| 4 | 79.17% | 18.39% | D+60.8 | 76.84% | 15.60% | D+61.2 | D |
| 5 | 76.41% | 21.06% | D+55.3 | 74.82% | 16.97% | D+57.9 | D |
| 6 | 66.55% | 31.98% | D+34.6 | 70.34% | 23.22% | D+47.1 | D |
| 7 | 82.54% | 16.11% | D+66.4 | 79.82% | 14.64% | D+65.2 | D |
| 8 | 84.00% | 13.75% | D+70.2 | 83.59% | 9.56% | D+74 | D |
| 9 | 63.82% | 33.80% | D+30 | 64.82% | 26.84% | D+38 | D |
| 10 | 79.29% | 17.98% | D+61.3 | 80.62% | 12.47% | D+68.2 | D |
| 11 | 58.66% | 38.84% | D+19.8 | 58.25% | 33.00% | D+25.3 | D |
| 12 | 65.33% | 32.47% | D+32.9 | 66.50% | 25.52% | D+41 | D |
| 13 | 68.88% | 28.33% | D+40.5 | 66.61% | 25.99% | D+40.6 | D |
| 14 | 29.31% | 68.47% | R+39.2 | 28.41% | 61.02% | R+32.6 | R |
| 15 | 35.17% | 62.29% | R+27.1 | 30.23% | 59.27% | R+29 | R |
| 16 | 38.44% | 58.69% | R+20.3 | 33.98% | 55.52% | R+21.5 | R |
| 17 | 58.28% | 38.66% | D+19.6 | 46.07% | 43.39% | D+2.7 | D |
| 18 | 55.69% | 41.03% | D+14.7 | 50.76% | 39.01% | D+11.8 | D |
| 19 | 23.20% | 74.75% | R+51.5 | 21.00% | 70.64% | R+49.6 | R |
| 20 | 36.90% | 61.07% | R+24.2 | 36.13% | 54.67% | R+18.5 | R |
| 21 | 44.76% | 52.44% | R+7.7 | 33.08% | 56.35% | R+23.3 | R |
| 22 | 43.22% | 54.92% | R+11.7 | 41.43% | 49.83% | R+8.4 | R |
| 23 | 56.59% | 40.48% | D+16.1 | 53.37% | 37.35% | D+16 | D |
| 24 | 56.97% | 40.27% | D+16.7 | 54.87% | 35.95% | D+18.9 | D |
| 25 | 45.68% | 52.27% | R+6.6 | 46.55% | 44.77% | D+1.8 | R |
| 26 | 56.52% | 41.35% | D+15.2 | 55.34% | 36.27% | D+19.1 | D |
| 27 | 47.59% | 50.20% | R+2.6 | 45.58% | 45.51% | D+0.1 | R |
| 28 | 56.14% | 41.40% | D+14.7 | 52.88% | 38.13% | D+14.7 | D |
| 29 | 55.15% | 41.90% | D+13.3 | 49.23% | 40.65% | D+8.6 | D |
| 30 | 58.12% | 39.53% | D+18.6 | 50.98% | 40.69% | D+10.3 | D |
| 31 | 57.57% | 39.68% | D+17.9 | 49.47% | 41.26% | D+8.2 | D |
| 32 | 68.41% | 28.79% | D+39.6 | 59.50% | 32.00% | D+27.5 | D |
| 33 | 54.04% | 43.63% | D+10.4 | 54.79% | 35.90% | D+18.9 | D |
| 34 | 58.24% | 38.92% | D+19.3 | 50.21% | 40.46% | D+9.8 | D |
| 35 | 56.93% | 40.57% | D+16.4 | 53.11% | 37.98% | D+15.1 | D |
| 36 | 58.93% | 39.04% | D+19.9 | 53.58% | 37.59% | D+16 | D |
| 37 | 46.74% | 51.56% | R+4.8 | 48.68% | 42.60% | D+6.1 | R |
| 38 | 45.32% | 52.68% | R+7.4 | 46.96% | 43.84% | D+3.1 | R |
| 39 | 33.46% | 64.72% | R+31.3 | 31.36% | 61.02% | R+29.7 | R |
| 40 | 57.39% | 40.16% | D+17.2 | 53.06% | 37.39% | D+15.7 | D |
| 41 | 62.83% | 34.95% | D+27.9 | 60.91% | 31.42% | D+29.5 | D |
| 42 | 72.27% | 25.31% | D+47 | 66.99% | 25.31% | D+41.7 | D |
| 43 | 40.49% | 58.15% | R+17.7 | 42.44% | 48.85% | R+6.4 | R |
| 44 | 37.59% | 60.64% | R+23 | 37.16% | 53.68% | R+16.5 | R |
| 45 | 32.91% | 65.51% | R+32.6 | 32.80% | 58.30% | R+25.5 | R |
| 46 | 55.76% | 42.01% | D+13.8 | 45.78% | 46.05% | R+0.3 | D |
| 47 | 47.31% | 50.40% | R+3.1 | 37.98% | 54.19% | R+16.2 | R |
| 48 | 37.53% | 60.27% | R+22.7 | 30.35% | 61.19% | R+30.8 | R |
| 49 | 41.56% | 56.12% | R+14.6 | 36.54% | 54.81% | R+18.3 | R |
| 50 | 55.50% | 41.23% | D+14.3 | 45.81% | 43.71% | D+2.1 | D |
| 51 | 43.13% | 54.07% | R+10.9 | 36.83% | 53.48% | R+16.7 | R |
| 52 | 57.53% | 39.81% | D+17.7 | 55.70% | 34.08% | D+21.6 | D |
| 53 | 61.38% | 35.23% | D+26.1 | 59.03% | 29.59% | D+29.4 | D |
| 54 | 28.39% | 69.43% | R+41 | 22.69% | 70.10% | R+47.4 | R |
| 55 | 36.10% | 61.61% | R+25.5 | 32.32% | 59.26% | R+26.9 | R |
| 56 | 40.95% | 56.94% | R+16 | 36.37% | 55.99% | R+19.6 | R |
| 57 | 38.90% | 58.78% | R+19.9 | 34.52% | 58.25% | R+23.7 | R |
| 58 | 36.91% | 60.52% | R+23.6 | 31.94% | 61.10% | R+29.2 | R |
| 59 | 50.62% | 46.33% | D+4.3 | 47.02% | 43.47% | D+3.5 | D |
| 60 | 39.26% | 57.98% | R+18.7 | 31.71% | 60.43% | R+28.7 | R |
| 61 | 55.13% | 42.35% | D+12.8 | 52.90% | 39.28% | D+13.6 | D |
| 62 | 58.86% | 38.59% | D+20.3 | 47.77% | 43.64% | D+4.1 | D |
| 63 | 40.61% | 56.65% | R+16 | 33.06% | 58.29% | R+25.2 | R |
| 64 | 31.01% | 66.64% | R+35.6 | 22.78% | 70.74% | R+48 | R |
| 65 | 29.29% | 68.33% | R+39 | 20.30% | 74.27% | R+54 | R |
| Total | 51.49% | 46.13% | D+5.4 | 48.16% | 43.25% | D+4.9 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
District history
2016
Colorado's 6th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2016. Incumbent Mike Coffman (R) won re-election to his fifth term in 2016. He defeated former State Senate Minority Leader Morgan Carroll (D), Norm Olsen (L), and Robert Lee Worthey (G) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent in June.[34][35][36][37]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Mike Coffman Incumbent |
50.9% | 191,626 | |
| Democratic | Morgan Carroll | 42.6% | 160,372 | |
| Libertarian | Norm Olsen | 5% | 18,778 | |
| Green | Robert Lee Worthey | 1.5% | 5,641 | |
| Total Votes | 376,417 | |||
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||||
2014
Colorado's 6th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014 due to the fact that the seat was held by a Republican, but the district had a slight Democratic lean. In the primary, both incumbent Mike Coffman (R) and Andrew Romanoff (D) faced no challenger. Coffman defeated Romanoff, Libertarian Norm Olsen and Green Party candidate Gary Swing in the general election on November 4, 2014.[38][39]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Coffman Incumbent |
51.9% | 143,467 | |
| Democratic | Andrew Romanoff | 43% | 118,847 | |
| Libertarian | Norm Olsen | 3.1% | 8,623 | |
| Green | Gary Swing | 2% | 5,503 | |
| Total Votes | 276,440 | |||
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State | ||||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Colorado heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- The state had a split delegation (one Democrat, one Republican) in the U.S. Senate. Colorado did not hold elections for either U.S. Senate seat in 2018.
- Republicans held four of seven U.S. House seats in Colorado, and Democrats held three.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Republicans held three of 10 state executive positions. Democrats held two, and five were nonpartisan.
- The governor of Colorado was Democrat John Hickenlooper, who was term-limited and unable to run for re-election in 2018. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- The Colorado state legislature was under divided control. Republicans had an 18-16 majority in the state Senate, with one Independent who caucused with the Democrats. Democrats had a 36-29 majority in the state House.
Trifecta status
- Heading into the 2018 elections, Colorado was under divided government.
2018 elections
- See also: Colorado elections, 2018
Colorado held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- All seven U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Attorney general
- Secretary of state
- Treasurer
- Seventeen of 35 seats in the state Senate
- All 65 seats in the state House of Representatives
- Two of seven seats on the state board of education
- Three of nine seats on the state board of regents
- One justice of the Colorado Supreme Court (retention election)
- Five members of the Colorado Court of Appeals (retention election)
- Local judicial offices
- Municipal elections in Adams County, Arapahoe County and El Paso County
Demographics
| Demographic data for Colorado | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,448,819 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 103,642 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 4% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 3.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 21.1% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 90.7% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 38.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $60,629 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 13.5% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Colorado. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2017, Colorado had a population of approximately 5.6 million people, and its two largest cities were Denver (pop. est. 719,000) and Colorado Springs (pop. est. 484,000).[40][41]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Colorado from 2000 to 2016.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Colorado every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Colorado 2000-2016[42] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 48.2% | 43.3% | 4.9% | ||
| 2012 | 51.5% | 46.1% | 5.4% | ||
| 2008 | 53.7% | 44.7% | 9.0% | ||
| 2004 | 51.7% | 47.0% | 4.7% | ||
| 2000 | 50.8% | 42.4% | 8.4% | ||
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Colorado from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016[43] | 50.0% | 44.3% | 5.7% | ||
| 2014[44] | 48.2% | 46.3% | 1.9% | ||
| 2010[45] | 48.1% | 46.4% | 1.7% | ||
| 2008[46] | 52.8% | 42.5% | 10.3% | ||
| 2004[47] | 50.4% | 45.7% | 4.7% | ||
| 2002[48] | 50.1% | 45.2% | 4.9% | ||
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Colorado, and take place in even-numbered years between presidential elections.
| Election results (Governor), Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014[44] | 49.3% | 46.0% | 3.3% | ||
| 2010[45] | 51.1% | 36.4% | 14.7% | ||
| 2006[49] | 56.0% | 39.5% | 16.5% | ||
| 2002[48] | 61.7% | 33.2% | 28.5% | ||
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Colorado in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Colorado 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016[43] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2014[44] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2012[50] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2010[45] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2008[46] | 28.6% | 71.4% | D+3 | ||
| 2006[49] | 42.9% | 57.1% | D+1 | ||
| 2004[47] | 57.1% | 42.9% | R+1 | ||
| 2002[48] | 71.4% | 28.6% | R+3 | ||
| 2000[51] | 66.7% | 33.3% | R+2 | ||
Trifectas, 1992-2018
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Colorado Party Control: 1992-2025
Thirteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
- Colorado's 6th Congressional District election (June 26, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Colorado's 6th Congressional District election (June 26, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado, 2018
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
- ↑ Same-day registration was available for those voting in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers,
- ↑ Denver Post, "National eyes — and money — on Mike Coffman vs. Jason Crow race for 6th Congressional District," August 23, 2018
- ↑ Jason Crow 2018 campaign website, "Meet Jason," accessed May 22, 2018
- ↑ Jason Crow for Congress 2018 campaign website, "Media," accessed September 17, 2018
- ↑ Jason Crow 2018 campaign website, "Values," accessed May 22, 2018
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Mike Coffman (R)," accessed August 3, 2014
- ↑ Mike Coffman 2018 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 17, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Politico, "House GOP super PAC cuts off support for Bishop, Coffman," September 28, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Politics, "GOP super PAC takes aim at Army vet Jason Crow’s record as advocate for veterans," August 24, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Previewing Wyoming’s and Alaska’s primaries," August 21, 2018
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Independent Expenditures," accessed November 6, 2018
- ↑ Giffords PAC, "RELEASE: GIFFORDS PAC ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1.5 MILLION AD CAMPAIGN CALLING OUT REP. COFFMAN FOR SIDING WITH THE GUN LOBBY OVER PUBLIC SAFETY," September 24, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "The big super PAC donors," October 22, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "Hillary Clinton steps up her involvement in the midterms," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Kavanaugh vote jolts midterms one month out," October 9, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ Denver Post, "Joe Biden endorses Jason Crow in 6th Congressional District race," August 16, 2018
- ↑ Washington Free Beacon, "Largest Newspaper in Colorado Endorses Republican Mike Coffman in House Race," October 12, 2018
- ↑ Aurora Sentinel, "ENDORSEMENT: Look past the stunts and pageantry, and see that Jason Crow is the best choice for Congress," October 16, 2018
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedissues - ↑ Jason Crow 2018 campaign website, "Values," accessed May 23, 2018
- ↑ This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
- ↑ The new 1st district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 8th District held by Fitzpatrick. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 5th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 7th District held by Meehan. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 6th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 6th District held by Costello. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 7th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 15th District held by Dent. Click here to read more.
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ Aurora Sentinel, "State Sen. Morgan Carroll makes official her battle against Mike Coffman for Aurora’s congressional seat," July 7, 2015
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Candidate List," accessed May 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Colorado House Primaries Results," June 28, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed September 5, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Primary election results," accessed June 24, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Election 2014," November 4, 2014
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Colorado," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ World Population Review, "Population of Cities in Colorado (2018)," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ US Election Atlas, "United States Presidential Election Results," accessed April 2, 2018
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "2016 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2014 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 3, 2018
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2010 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2008 Primary & 2008 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2003 Coordinated, 2004 Primary, & 2004 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2001 Coordinated, 2002 Primary, & 2002 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2005 Coordinated, 2006 Primary, & 2006 General," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2012 Abstract of Votes Cast," accessed April 4, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2000 Presidential, 2000 Primary, & 2000 General," accessed April 4, 2018
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