2018 Colorado Senate election explained

Election Name:2018 Colorado State Senate election
Country:Colorado
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2016 Colorado Senate election
Previous Year:2016
Next Election:2020 Colorado Senate election
Next Year:2020
Seats For Election:17 of the 35 seats in the Colorado Senate
Majority Seats:18
Election Date:November 6, 2018
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Races won
Image1:File:Leroy_Garcia 2020.JPG
Leader1:Leroy Garcia
Party1:Colorado Democratic Party
Leaders Seat1:District 3
Last Election1:17
Seats Before1:16
Seats1:19
Seat Change1:3
Popular Vote1:608,037
Percentage1:50.3%
1Data1:6
2Data1:9
Leader2:Kevin Grantham
(term-limited)
Party2:Colorado Republican Party
Leaders Seat2:District 2
Last Election2:18
Seats Before2:18
Seats2:16
Seat Change2:2
Popular Vote2:564,971
Percentage2:46.75%
1Data2:10
2Data2:8
Map Size:450px
President of the Senate
Before Election:Kevin Grantham
Before Party:Republican
After Election:Leroy Garcia
After Party:Democratic

The 2018 Colorado State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Colorado voters elected state senators in 17 of the 35 districts in the state senate. State senators serve four-year terms in the Colorado State Senate. The Colorado Reapportionment Commission provides a statewide map of the state Senate here, and individual district maps are available from the U.S. Census here.

A primary election on June 26, 2018, determined which candidates appeared on the November 6 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained from the Colorado Secretary of State's website.[1]

Following the 2016 state Senate elections, Republicans maintained effective control of the Senate with 18 members. Democratic state Senator Cheri Jahn switched from Democrat to unaffiliated on December 29, 2017.[2] However, Sen. Jahn decided to still caucus with Democrats. In the 2018 election, Republicans defended 10 seats while Democrats defended 6 seats with Jahn's 1 Independent seat up for grabs.

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 1 Senate seat while electing a Democrat to the Independent seat. The Democratic candidate won the Independent seat while Democrats netted 2 additional seats, giving the party majority status in the chamber. The results ultimately led to Democrats gaining a political trifecta for the first time since 2014.[3]

Background

Heading to the 2018 elections, Republicans held a 1-seat majority in the Senate and sought to defend their very narrow majority in the election. Democrats have not held the state Senate since 2014 and aimed at flipping it to potentially achieve a political trifecta as Democrats were expected to retain control of the state House and gubernatorial nominee Jared Polis was considered the frontrunner heading up to the polls.[4] [5]

Five Senate seats were considered vital to determine the political balance of the Senate and even the political outlook of the state. Democratic women dubbed the "Fab Five" were running to defend or win these five competitive districts. Incumbent Republicans Tim Neville and Beth Humenik were seen as the most vulnerable as both narrowly won their races in 2014 and they represented districts in where Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won in 2016.

Summary of Results

DistrictIncumbentPartyElected SenatorParty
1stJerry SonnenbergRepJerry SonnenbergRep
2ndKevin GranthamRepDennis HiseyRep
3rdLeroy GarciaDemLeroy GarciaDem
5thKerry DonovanDemKerry DonovanDem
6thDon CoramRepDon CoramRep
7thRay ScottRepRay ScottRep
9thKent LambertRepPaul LundeenRep
11thMichael MerrifieldDemPete LeeDem
13thJohn CookeRepJohn CookeRep
15thKevin LundbergRepRob WoodwardRep
16thTim NevilleRepTammy StoryDem
20thCheri JahnIndJessie DanielsonDem
22ndAndy KerrDemBrittany PettersenDem
24thBeth Martinez HumenikRepFaith WinterDem
30thChris HolbertRepChris HolbertRep
32ndIrene AguilarDemRobert RodriguezDem
34thLucía GuzmánDemJulie GonzalesDem
Source:[6] [7]

Incumbents not seeking re-election

Term-limited incumbents

Seven incumbent senators (three Democrats, three Republicans and one independent) are term-limited and unable to seek a third term.

Retiring incumbents

One incumbent Democrat is not seeking re-election despite being able to do so.

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

Detailed results

align=center District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 16 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34
Sources:[8]

District 34

Analysis

Democrats handily flipped the state Senate by significantly outperforming their margins compared to 2016 and 2014. Most of the votes that led to the Senate flipping was due to the outsized margins Democratic candidates received throughout the Front Range and ski counties. Independent voters (the largest share of the electorate) along with women voters, younger voters, and suburban voters, helped propel Democrats to victory in many races.[9] Races that were considered competitive but eventually won by the so-called "Fab Five" including Faith Winter, Jessie Danielson, Tammy Story, Kerry Donovan and Brittany Petersen were won by relatively large margins.[10] [11] Due to Democrats flipping the Senate, they were able to gain a political trifecta as Democrats expanded their majorities in the state House and won all statewide races, including for governor.

The results in the Senate and other elections throughout 2018 were called by observers a "blue wave" in which Democrats made historic gains in Colorado.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: June 26, 2018 Primary Election Official Results . . September 1, 2018.
  2. Web site: Senator Cheri Jahn switches party. 29 December 2017 . September 1, 2018.
  3. Web site: Fish . Sandra . 2018-11-07 . Mapping the 2018 vote: Blue Colorado gets bluer and the divide remains . 2023-09-08 . . en-US.
  4. Web site: 2018-09-27 . Colorado’s political future comes down to five Senate districts, and money is rushing in . 2023-09-08 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  5. Web site: Chávez . Aída . 2018-10-30 . Total Democratic Control of Colorado Comes Down to Five Women . 2023-09-08 . The Intercept . en-US.
  6. Web site: Colorado State Senate elections, 2018 . . September 1, 2018.
  7. Web site: Election Results & Data (Unofficial). Colorado Secretary of State. www.sos.state.co.us. en. 2018-11-07.
  8. Web site: June 26, 2018 Primary Election Official Results . . September 1, 2018.
  9. Web site: Weatherman . Lisa . 2018-11-07 . A Blue Wave Crashes Into Colorado in the 2018 Midterms . 2023-09-08 . 5280 . en.
  10. Web site: Herrick . John . 2018-11-07 . Democrats take the Colorado Senate . 2023-09-08 . . en-US.
  11. Web site: Roberts . Michael . Colorado Legislature Election Results 2018: Dems Win House and Senate . 2023-09-08 . . en.
  12. Web site: Roberts . Michael . Colorado Election Results 2018: Polis, the Blue Wave and the Power of TABOR . 2023-09-08 . Westword . en.