DENVER (CN) — Once a closely watched swing state, Colorado seems to have settled behind the Democratic Party. After all bold blue dominated the statehouse and executive branch for the past decade, and the state Senate the past four years.
But the state’s semi-open primary, new congressional district and Republican momentum may lead to a few surprising outcomes.
Emphasizing conservative fiscal policy mid rising inflation, the Republican Party set sights on retaking the state from the local legislature to the U.S. Senate. It remains to be seen whether far-right fervor calling for increased scrutiny in elections, hardline stances on abortion bans and climate denialism will help fuel the party train to November or derail it.
“Here in Colorado, we're certainly going to see the Trump faction versus the more moderate Republicans contesting within each of the primaries,” said Robert Preuhs, a political science professor at Metro State University of Denver.
Even though Democrats outnumber Centennial State Republicans, they are not the dominant political party. That honor goes to the unaffiliated, which number 1.7 million active voters to the Democrat’s 1 million and the Republican's 956,000.
While unaffiliated voters can participate in the primary election, they can only vote on one party’s ticket. In past years, more Democratic ballots have come back than Republican, reflecting not just party preference as the purple state tinted blue, but also where the competitive races were.
This year the tables have turned: Democrats are running uncontested in all elections for state office and six out of eight congressional districts. Republicans face competitive primaries for governor, secretary of state, the U.S. Senate and several congressional districts.
“I think it signals fear and recognition of reality that a highly contested primary can potentially lead to voters whose candidate lost in the primary to being disaffected and not being mobilized in in November,” Preuhs said. “I think Democrats are circling the wagons and saying, ‘We need to we need to propose a single candidate, we have incumbents, there's no need to risk a loss of majority.’”
Colorado’s 8th Congressional District spans from Denver commuter suburbs Thornton and Brighton up to rural Greeley where the economy centers around oil and gas. Of recent active voters in the region, 28% were Democrat, 25% Republican and 44% unaffiliated.
Republicans hope that’s enough to paint this district red.
“When I knock on doors of unaffiliated and knock on doors of Democrats and Republicans, they're all basically saying the same thing,” said Barbara Kirkmeyer, a state senator campaigning to represent the 8th District.
“They're concerned about inflation, they're ticked off that they spent over $100 to fill up their gas tank,” Kirkmeyer said.
A fourth generation Coloradan, Kirkmeyer grew up on a dairy farm and touts her pro-oil and gas legislation.
“When you look at this district, I would say the constituents are God-fearing, taxpaying, gun-loving folks,” Kirkmeyer said. “And I think that aligns very closely with what I speak to.”
Thornton Mayor and 8th District candidate Jan Kulmann also draws inspiration from door-knocking.
“I was knocking on doors last summer, talking to people for local races, and the issues I was hearing at the door were issues I couldn't stop as mayor anymore,” Kulmann explained. “Even a year ago, the price of gas was starting to creep up, the price of groceries was starting to go up. Those are issues that in Washington, I can make a real difference on.”
Kulmann said her experience as an oil and gas engineer will help her break up partisan gridlock in D.C.
“I use my principles as a conservative, but I also use my skill as an engineer to solve problems across all aisle,” she said.
