The biggest sign yet that Colorado is moving from a swing state to a blue state is that for the first time registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Centennial State.
MSNBC’s Kyle Griffin tweeted:
Important nugget from new Clinton camp field report: For 1st time ever in Colorado, registered Dems outnumber registered GOPs on voter file.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 11, 2016
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Republicans came into 2016 targeting Colorado for both a potential White House and Senate pickup, but those dreams were quickly dashed as Hillary Clinton and Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett have maintained double-digit leads in the state.
As has been witnessed in other states where demographics have changed or are changing, Colorado’s demographic shift is helping to tip the state towards Democrats. According to the Center For American Progress, “In 2004, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry had a 38-percentage-point advantage over Republican candidate George W. Bush among Latino voters, leading 68 percent to 30 percent. In 2012, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won 75 percent of Latino votes while Republican Mitt Romney received 23 percent, a 48-point margin.”
Several states (North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, Texas) are in the midst of a demographic shift. Some of these states are changing faster than others, but what has happened in Colorado isn’t an isolated occurrence. America is changing, and the Republican Party’s refusal to change with the population shift could haunt them in elections for decades to come.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association