Election night exceeded Democrats’ wildest dreams.
In Colorado, the big blue wave swept through all the statewide offices, plus congressional and statehouse districts. The state will send new Democratic representation to Washington, D.C., and enter a new legislative session in the new year with a new Democratic governor and Democratic supermajorities in both chambers. What does that mean for state politics and both parties’ futures in Colorado? CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Caitlyn Kim are joined by The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul to discuss. They also look at how some of the statewide ballot measure results paint a more complicated, aka purplish, picture.
Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded at around 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5. Since then, a few races have been called. The Associated Press called Colorado’s fifth Congressional District race for Democrat Jessica Killin and Colorado’s third Congressional District for Republican incumbent Rep. Jeff Hurd.
Additionally, opponents of Propositions 134 and 135 conceded defeat Thursday afternoon and supporters of Amendment 87, the graduated income tax ballot measure, claimed victory.
Catch up on our other election coverage:
- Read about what Election Day looked like around the state on CPR News’ live blog
- The Colorado Sun: Colorado Democrats just won supermajorities in both the state House, Senate for the first time ever. Here’s how
- The Colorado Sun:Jennifer Bacon elected next Colorado House speaker by fellow Democrats
- The Colorado Sun: Phil Weiser and statehouse Democrats are already planning tweaks to Colorado ballot measures on fentanyl, transgender youth
- CPR News: This is how Coloradans voted on all 14 statewide ballot questions
- CPR News: Neguse hopes to be assistant speaker in the next Congress
- CPR News: Governor-elect Weiser makes data centers, social media, youth program priorities
- CPR News: Polis on Democrats’ big night, CoCo and why he hopes mercy will be his legacy
Purplish is produced by CPR News and the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Startup funding for the Alliance was provided, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. Story editing from Nicole Vap. The theme music is by Brad Turner. Other music in this episode is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to KRCC’s Briana Heaney and CPR’s Ben Markus and Molly Cruise, who contributed reporting for this episode.
