Colorado's Blue Wave Helmed By Latine Voters
Battleground is a reader-supported publication. Consider supporting the newsletter through Buy Me A Coffee. Colorado's Blue Wave Helmed By Latine VotersA reminder that midterm election results are best viewed through localized trends not national narratives.Some of y’all are probably wondering, “What is Latine? Do you mean Latinos?” YES! Latine is the gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina. Click here to learn more about how to use this inclusive language. Topline Takeaways
Colorado’s Blue WaveWhile Colorado Democrats prepared for the worst in the weeks leading up to the 2022 election, it was Colorado Republicans who should have prepared themselves for a rough time. It can’t be understated just how impactful this election was for Colorado Democrats. First, Democrats produced landslide victories in statewide races, even in races that pundits were rating “toss-ups” in the final weeks before the election. Many believed that Colorado’s Senate race would come down to a nail-biter, yet Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet wiped the floor with his opponent by a wide 15-point margin. Incumbent Gov. Jared Polis saw an even bigger win, beating Republican challenger Heidi Ganahal by nearly 20 points. This is becoming a trend for Colorado: no statewide Republican candidate has received more than 45% of the vote since 2016. Voters also allowed Democrats to retain complete control of all chambers of state government for the first time in the state’s history, as Democrats increased their margins in both the state House and the state Senate. “Honestly I think Colorado Republicans need to take this and learn the lesson that the party is dead. This was an extinction-level event… This was the asteroid that ended the reign of the dinosaur, and in this case, the dinosaur was the Republican party.” -Republican state Rep. Colin Larson. Colorado’s blue wave is best seen in US House races as Democrats saw some dramatic shifts toward the party. Every House district except one (CO-5) saw increased support for Democrats when compared to the 2020 election with two districts shifting to the left by more than 10 points. Most importantly, Democrats were able to capture Colorado’s newest House seat, CO-8, thanks to Yadira Caraveo and her ability to mobilize the district’s large Latine population. Colorado’s Latine Voters Boost DemocratsExit polls show that Democrats across the state were effective in courting Latine voters as this voting bloc supported the Democratic party over Republicans by a 2-to-1 margin. The candidacy of Rep. Yadira Caraveo serves as a great example for how Latine voters ultimately turned out for Democrats and thwarted emerging trends seen in other states. Caraveo is the daughter of Mexican immigrants who moved to Colorado to secure a better life for their family. She credits her Mexican-American heritage as a key factor in securing a win as this new district has the highest proportion of Latine voters in the state. When she is sworn in next January, she will make state history as the first Latina woman to hold a Colorado US House seat. “I had so many people pull me aside, give me hugs, give me kisses on the cheeks and say, ‘It's so great to finally see somebody like us not just running for Congress, but possibly representing us.’ -Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D) Republicans Can’t Blame RedistrictingOnce the dust settled on most races, Republicans immediately began pointing fingers. Rather than address the fact that their policy platforms were incompatible with the state’s liberal leaning voting base, some have asserted that maps were rigged against Republicans. Conservative members of the state’s redistricting committee immediately pushed back.
They shared that the Colorado Constitution demands that mapmakers draw competitive districts and how that’s a good thing for democracy.
More From Battleground on Colorado |
Older messages
Were You Taught the Standard American History Myth?
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to break down the lies we were told as children so that we don't pass them on to the next generation.
Many South Carolina Voters Couldn't Vote for House Democrats Even if They Wanted To
Monday, November 21, 2022
Democrats failed to nominate House candidates in two of the state's seven US House races.
Idaho's Conservatives Lift Up Third-Party Extremists
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Voters in Idaho are so conservative that they're supporting third-party extremists over Republican candidates.
Delaware Sees Its Closest US House Race Since 1992
Monday, November 14, 2022
Learn what made this election one of Delaware's closest in decades.
When Can We Expect 2022 Midterm Election Results?
Monday, November 7, 2022
Not every state will have results ready on Election Night. See where voters may have to wait a bit longer for results.
You Might Also Like
☕ Model behavior
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Allen Institute says its model tops DeepSeek. February 17, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Tech Brew presented by StartEngine It's Monday. China's DeepSeek made a big splash, but something similar
The Best Presidents’ Day Sales, According to Our Deals Editor
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Stuff from Article, J.Crew, Madewell, and more. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
SPECIAL EDITION: Biden and Trump show us the promise and peril of presidential clemency.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
A guest essay from Reason's Jacob Sullum SPECIAL EDITION: Biden and Trump show us the promise and peril of presidential clemency. A guest essay from Reason's Jacob Sullum By Tangle Staff • 17
🍿 The Story Behind TV’s Best Opening Credits
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Plus: 'Severance' might have just confirmed a tantalizing fan theory. Inverse Daily The minds behind 'Yellowjackets' grungy analog opening titles explain how it's made, how it's
Scientists worry about their funding's future
Thursday, February 27, 2025
+ Kennedy Center takeover
Sofa Travel
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Largest Sofa You Can Move Around A Corner // 50 Years Of Travel Tips Sofa Travel By Caroline Crampton • 17 Feb 2025 View in browser View in browser Largest Sofa You Can Move Around A Corner Richard
Worse than Watergate?
Thursday, February 27, 2025
A key Watergate whistleblower told The Lever that what we're seeing now is much worse than Watergate.
☕ Moving Target
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Target and diversity terms. February 17, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Retail Brew Presented By Hightouch It's Monday, and we bring you news that Mike Tyson's brand, Tyson 2.0, which started as a
One far-right trend that skipped the US
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Plus: Mexican guns, sleep, and Christianity's comeback. View this email in your browser February 27, 2025 A woman and man in red hats reading ''Joe and the Hoe got to go'' hold a
☕ Smooth sailing
Thursday, February 27, 2025
How SailGP's CMO is leveling up the racing league. February 17, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Marketing Brew presented by Tubi It's Monday. TikTok is back on Apple's and Google's app