Will Colorado ever vote to the left of Oregon?

[Fwillb21]

I think it is quite possible, because the Denver metro seems to be just as liberal as the Portland metro (maybe even the Seattle/Tacoma metro also). It would be even more in the realm of possibility if Colorado Springs continues trending left. Since Biden won Colorado by 13 points and Oregon by 16 points in 2020, it could happen rather soon for all we know.

[The Economy is Getting Worse]

It could happen as soon as 2024.

[支持核绿派 (Greens4Nuclear)]

Could definitely happen at some point, but probably not anytime soon. Both states have fairly right-wing rural areas and still relatively R smaller cities.

[Ragnaroni]

The floor's gone out under the COGOP. Don't think they'll contest the state unless the current climate is terrible for democrats. 2024.

[Samof94]

The floor's gone out under the COGOP. Don't think they'll contest the state unless the current climate is terrible for democrats. 2024.

2014 was the last time they won a Senate race.

[andre1113]

what is causing colorado to trend so much left compared to even oregon and washington? is denver  really becoming that left and grows to be the new atlanta in its ability to churn out democratic votes? not that colorado is not swinging left, i just thought portland and seattle liberalism is hard to be beaten.

[Skill and Chance]

what is causing colorado to trend so much left compared to even oregon and washington? is denver  really becoming that left and grows to be the new atlanta in its ability to churn out democratic votes? not that colorado is not swinging left, i just thought portland and seattle liberalism is hard to be beaten.

That and the main source of R votes (Colorado Springs) is also collapsing in margin.  Unlike many Eastern states, the rural areas are so rural that there isn't enough small town vote to counter any of this.

[patzer]

what is causing colorado to trend so much left compared to even oregon and washington? is denver  really becoming that left and grows to be the new atlanta in its ability to churn out democratic votes? not that colorado is not swinging left, i just thought portland and seattle liberalism is hard to be beaten.

That and the main source of R votes (Colorado Springs) is also collapsing in margin.  Unlike many Eastern states, the rural areas are so rural that there isn't enough small town vote to counter any of this.

The 4th district is quite counterintuitive. It's easy to think of it as "the eastern plains district", but actually the rural areas only make up about 30% of the population of the district. Half of the district's population is in the Douglas County area, essentially Denver suburbs rapidly trending left, and the remaining 20% is in the Fort Collins suburbs of Loveland and Windsor in the north of the state (both of which are still fairly red but also trending left). I'm of the opinion that it was a big mistake for the commission to select it as it's a mostly urban district joining together two completely different urban areas with a long circuitous stretch of sparsely populated rural land.

Had the eastern plains counties instead been paired with Aurora, the resulting district would have been Democratic-leaning, with the rural counties' population not being large enough to outweigh the urban area.

[andre1113]

is there a specific reasons why denver suburbs is moving left faster than other cities?

[Smash255]

is there a specific reasons why denver suburbs is moving left faster than other cities?

There is a high concentration of upper middle class well-educated voters in the southern Denver suburbs (Douglas, Jefferson, SW Arapahoe).  There was an overall Dem trend for awhile in the general area, though some pullback for Romney and during that time as he was the perfect GOP candidate for the area.  Trump, well not so much.   Douglas County is still GOP leaning, but much less than it use to be.  Combine that with continued GOP weakening in Colorado Springs and a terrible state GOP party it is a recipe for disaster.   On top of that as has been mentioned much of rural GOP Colorado is so rural it just doesn't have the population to offset any of the losses elsewhere.


As far as Colorado voting to the left of Oregon, while I'm not sure if it will happen in 2024, it wouldn't surprise me.   The margin wasonly about 2.5% more in Oregon than Colorado, and the GOP has more room to collapse, especially in the southern Denver suburbs and Colorado Springs, especially with Trump.

[Schiff for Senate]

It could happen as soon as 2024.

This.

Worth pointing out that CO voted to the left of OR in 2022 - in the gubernatorial election by more than 15 points, and even in the senate race (where, mind you, Ron Wyden has earlier been quite an overperformer - in fact 2022 was his worst performance since he was first elected).

[It’s so Joever]

And just eleven years ago Colorado was a must win state for either campaign.