A headline on Bloomberg.com yesterday:
Democrats Face Obstacles Even If They Win
Bring on the obstacles, I guess.
The following report is as of 5:30am.
According to the preliminary results we’re seeing locally, Democratic candidates did unusually well in red-leaning Archuleta County. Except for the County government offices, where all the candidates ran unopposed as Republicans, a majority of local voters supported each of the Democratic candidates on the statewide ballot.
Local electors also approved three tax measures. Voters overwhelmingly approved an increase to the Archuleta County Lodging Tax (71% in favor) and to maintaining the TABOR exemption for the Upper San Juan Health Service District which operates the Pagosa Springs Medical Center and the EMS ambulance service (81% in favor). Archuleta School District’s $156 million bond issue appears to have passed as well (52% in favor, 48% opposed).
These are unofficial results. ‘Final’ results are a couple of weeks away. Local turnout was relatively light. Only 3,558 ballots were cast, from 11,797 active voters.
Statewide Results
On the statewide races, Democrat Dwayne Romero is running neck and neck with incumbent Jeff Hurd to represent the 3rd District in the U.S. House. Republican Lauren Boebert is currently trailing Democrat Eileen Laubacher for the 4th Congressional District seat. Democrat candidates appear to have won all of the other Congressional races, with the exception of the 1st Congressional District in Denver, where Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros coasted to victory with 78% of the vote. I’m not sure if a Democratic Socialist qualifies as a Democrat?
Democrat Phil Weiser coasted to victory in the Governor’s race, and John Hickenlooper was re-elected to the U.S. Senate.
Statewide Ballot Measures
Some of the Constitutional Amendments (requiring 55% approval to pass) and Propositions (simple majority) are too close to call at the moment, but the following measures have significant results thus far.
Amendment 81, requiring Colorado law enforcement to inform Homeland Security about certain types of arrests: Defeated.
Amendment 82, constitutional right to access to natural gas: Defeated.
Amendment 83, right to hunting and fishing: Defeated.
Amendment 84, requiring ID when voting: Defeated.
Amendment 85, requiring plain language ballot measures: Defeated.
Amendment 86, revised redistricting rules: Defeated.
Amendment 87, change from flat income tax rate to graduated income tax: Defeated.
Proposition NN, increased funding for public schools: Won.
Proposition 133, increased penalties for trafficking of minors: Won.
Proposition 134, allowable participation in school sports determined by sex at birth: Won.
Proposition 136, capping Colorado income tax at 4.4%: Defeated.
National Results
Democrats flipped seven Senate seats to claim a majority in the U.S. Senate, with two seats too close to call. Democrats also won control of the U.S. House, with a large number of races yet to be called.
Apparently, Americans will not receive the $5,000 payment promised by the President, if Republicans retained control of the House and Senate.
Considering that Archuleta County is sometimes considered a suburb of Texas, readers may be interested to note that Democrat James Talarico was elected to the U.S. Senate — the first Democrat from Texas to be elected to the Senate since 1988.
In the Texas governor’s race, NBC News projects Democrat Gina Hinojosa to defeat Republican incumbent Greg Abbott.
Interestingly, voters in 17 states have elected female governors, setting a record in Tuesday’s election. We can assume they were all female at birth.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can't seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.