ASHE IN AMERICA — OPINION
The clear takeaway from the June 25 Colorado primary is that Centennial State voters are a diverse bunch with wide spectrum of priorities and ideas. While ballot measure advocates race to obtain enough signatures by the August 6 deadline, the ballot for candidates is set — and somewhat surprising.
DSA Loses Bigly
Members of the far-left Colorado Democrat Socialists of America (DSA) won’t be returning to the State House next year.
Representatives Elisabeth Epps (HD6) and Tim Hernández (HD4) lost their primaries in June, after prominent Democrats, including Governor Polis, endorsed the DSA candidates’ “more moderate” challengers, and national money flooded the local races. Kyra deGruy Kennedy, wife of Chris deGruy Kennedy (HD30), who was also endorsed by DSA, lost her contest as well, failing to keep her husband’s seat in the family.
Epps and Hernández faced escalating criticism from their Democrat colleagues, last session and during the campaign, for their anti-Israel advocacy and their refusal to toe the party line — often breaking with the establishment on key votes.
The pair also faced criticism from their Republican colleagues for their outsized focus on disarmament, enabling crimes against children, and flying foreign flags on the floor of the People’s House.
According to 9 News, and most corporate media, “These decisions by voters mark a shift back toward moderate Democrats and away from far-left progressives.”
That’s certainly the narrative Democrats are selling voters this cycle. “No, seriously, we’re really not communists!”
Republicans Remain Divided
Over in CD4, Greg Lopez won Ken Buck’s vacant seat, and he was sworn into office in D.C. on July 8. Lopez will occupy the seat for the rest of the year, a welcome outcome for CD4 constituents who have been without representation since Ken Buck resigned in March.
Why did Buck resign? Colorado Peak Politics nailed the answer to that question earlier this month, writing, “Lopez replaces Ken Buck who resigned in March during the middle of his term because he was fed up with Republicans and wanted to spend more time with his CNN family.”
Lopez is not running for the seat in November, and Lauren Boebert won the nomination. She will face Trisha Calvarese in the general. Calvarese came up short in the special election, losing to Lopez by more than 39,000 votes, or 24%.
More GOP establishment picks were victorious in CD3, Boebert’s current seat, and CD5, where Ron Hanks and Dave Williams lost to a couple of Jeffs: Jeff Hurd and Jeff Crank, respectively. Current State Rep Gabe Evans handily won the primary in CD8, though he faces a tough contest against Democrat incumbent Yadira Caraveo in November.
Local races on the Republican side saw mixed results between America First and establishment candidates. Adriana Cuva lost her bid for Senate District 12, and Saundra Larsen failed to prevail over former GOP Chair Kristi Burton Brown for State Board of education.
In other races, America First candidates were victorious, including Highlands Ranch resident Matt Burcham’s triumph over Lora Thomas for HD43, and former State Rep Kevin Van Winkle’s nomination for Douglas County Commissioner.
Eyes On The General
CD3, CD4, and CD5 should be reliably Republican seats, but CD8 is a toss-up. If Evans were able to pull off the upset, and Republicans hold their three current seats, then half of Colorado’s federal representatives would be Republican. Talk about shifting voter sentiment in Colorado!
Still, the race in CD3 will reveal whether Boebert’s hardships in 2022 were a “her problem” or signal of a changing local electorate.
The balance of power under the dome is arguably more important than the Presidential race, though you wouldn’t know it from the wall-to-wall media coverage of Biden’s obvious dementia and Democrat panic. While most of the primary candidates for State government ran unopposed, the results of actual contests indicate a mixed bag from voters.
Republicans seek to flip a few vulnerable seats in both chambers, hoping to restore some sense of balance after a particularly tumultuous 74th General Assembly. For now, it appears McCluskie is on track to retain the gavel in the 75th.
For America First Coloradans, this seems unthinkable, given the absolute state of our state. Unfortunately, those are the results. In November, Coloradans must vote like our lives depend on it.
A quick look around confirms that, at the minimum, our ways of life most certainly do.
Ashe in America is a writer and activist. Find all her work at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
