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.
