Choppy waters ahead for Colorado Democrats?

Nothing makes me geek-out quite as quickly as election returns. From the anticipation of the first wave to be posted through talking heads trying to determine when to call a race, the numbers always tell a story.

So fair warning for anyone reading this column whose eyes cross over data analysis.

The story told by this year’s coordinated election in Colorado should serve as a warning to the most progressive policy makers in the state.

Don’t get me wrong; Colorado is still a blue state. Democrats hold both houses of the state legislature, all four statewide offices and a majority of the state’s congressional seats. And it will take an upset for Sen. Cory Gardner to hold onto his U.S. Senate seat.

However, a year after Coloradans rejected new oil and gas setbacks and transportation funding, voters dealt a withering defeat to anti-TABOR activists and Proposition CC.

While Republicans will claim any victory they can at the moment – and certainly the death of CC came in part due to their unified opposition – some blame has to be placed on progressives who have misread their overwhelming control of public offices as proof of overwhelming support for their most liberal policies.

Read the rest of this column in the Colorado Sun.