Hi John,
While we are still analyzing some of the details and waiting for official election certifications, one thing is becoming clear — Colorado stood out in this election.
While most of the country took a sharp right turn, with even states like California and New York tightening, Kamala Harris will win our state by a double-digit margin, similar to that of Joe Biden in 2020. That’s not an accident – it’s due to the hard work of volunteers like you and elected officials dedicated to cutting the cost of living and making Colorado a great place to live – no matter who you are or what your zip code is.
Amendment 79, which enshrines abortion access into the Colorado constitution, passed overwhelmingly, even in Republican strongholds.
Voters overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 131, which would have replaced our gold-standard election system with a pay-to-play system that would have flooded our state with dark money, despite proponents spending millions of dollars in support of Prop 131.
Democrats in the State Senate and the State House retained their majorities, a victory that was far from assured, and strengthened our hand in protecting us during the incoming Trump administration.
As our Chair, Shad Murib, says: “The next frontier of Colorado politics is local.”
For the first time, the Colorado Democratic Party invested tens of thousands of dollars directly to county parties and county candidates through the Colorado County Comeback, fueling strong campaigns, building long-term infrastructure, and supporting rural Coloradans.
The Horizon Project, created to address lagging voter turnout among young and Latino voters, also placed staff and resources that had a meaningful impact through deep canvassing, turning out voters who had long ago tuned out of politics and elections. This first-ever effort is a model for the state and the nation in how to get folks engaged in our campaigns again.
The Colorado Greenwave put organizers in rural college campuses to shore up our Democratic ticket and reject the failed policies of Donald Trump and RFK Jr.
And, we have rededicated ourselves over the past two years to the cause of working people — fighting for better paychecks, safer workplaces, and good health care.
Through all of these creative efforts, the Colorado Democratic Party looms large as a beacon of success after most states had a tough election.
It’s clear that our work works. Investing in our county parties, grassroots efforts, competing, and showing up everywhere helped Colorado Democrats break the red wave that swept the rest of the country.
We take this information clear-eyed, we saw success, but we know we had some painful losses as well. Over the coming weeks and months, we will listen to, learn from, and internalize the lessons of this election as we lay the groundwork for success in 2026, 2028, and beyond.
Democrats nationwide can learn this from Colorado: What we are doing here helps win tough races, pass critically important policies, and hold back red waves.
Now, let’s continue our work and prove the Colorado approach can be a winning path forward for Democrats everywhere.
Thank you,
Colorado Dems
