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Notable Colorado races, 2016
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Presidential • U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • State judges • Local judges • State ballot measures • Recalls • Candidate ballot access |
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| Notable Colorado Races | |
|---|---|
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| Primary | June 28, 2016 |
| General | November 8, 2016 |
| 2016 Notable Races | |
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| Choose a state below: | |
Ballotpedia identified nine notable 2016 Colorado state legislative races, six of which were general election races. The Colorado House and the Colorado Senate were also two of 20 battleground chambers Ballotpedia tracked in the November 2016 election.
Overview
- Main articles: Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2016 and Colorado State Senate elections, 2016
State House
All 65 seats in the chamber were up for election in 2016. Democrats held just a three-seat majority over Republicans after 2014, a year that favored Republicans. The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) identified the chamber as an offensive target.[1]
State Senate
A total of 18 seats out of the chamber's 35 seats were up for election in 2016. Republicans held just a one-seat majority over Democrats after 2014, when Republicans retook the chamber.
Daily Kos Elections identified the Colorado Senate as "perhaps the most competitive state legislative chamber in the nation this year."[2]
| Partisan breakdown of the Colorado Legislature | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Republicans | Democrats | |
| Colorado House | 31 seats | 34 seats | |
| Colorado Senate | 18 seats | 17 seats | |
What makes a race notable?
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable races:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Races that receive considerable media attention
- Races that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Competitive races involving party leaders
- Open, competitive races with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Races that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
Know of an interesting race we should include here? Email us!
Notable primary elections
State Senate District 12
- Two conservative Republicans competed for an open seat left by the Republican incumbent.
Incumbent state Sen. Bill Cadman (R) did not run for re-election due to term limits. Former state Rep. Bob Gardner (R) defeated state Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt (R) in the Republican primary contest. No Democrat filed to run.
Gardner's campaign website highlighted the candidate's opposition to the Affordable Care Act, increases to state fees and taxes, abortion, and same-sex marriage. Gardner's website also highlighted his support for measures to protect the religious freedom of private businesses and the Second Amendment.[3]
Klingenschmitt's campaign website highlighted the candidate's opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. Klingenschmitt's website also highlighted his support for local control of education and the Second Amendment.[4]
State Senate District 29
- Two Democratic state representatives competed for an open seat left by the Democratic incumbent.
Incumbent state Sen. Morgan Carroll (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits. State Rep. Rhonda Fields (D) defeated state Rep. Su Ryden (D) in the Democratic primary contest. Sebastian Chunn (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary contest.
Fields' campaign website highlighted the candidate's support for making healthcare more affordable, upholding environmental protections, funding law enforcement agencies, and protecting retirement programs for senior citizens.[5]
Ryden's campaign website highlighted the candidate's support for legislation to create jobs and reduce unemployment and the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act.[6]
State House District 16
- The Republican incumbent faced a former Republican state legislator.
Incumbent state Rep. Janak Joshi (R) ran for re-election but was defeated by former state Rep. Larry Liston (R) in the Republican primary contest. No Democrat filed to run.
Joshi's campaign website highlighted the candidate's support for privatizing state activities to reduce the state's deficit, eliminating personal property taxes, and reducing environmental regulations.[7]
Liston's campaign website highlighted the candidate's support for the Second Amendment, the elimination of state funding for Planned Parenthood, free market healthcare policies, and Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).[8]
Notable general elections
State Senate District 19
- District 19 featured a candidate rematch in a closely divided district.
Incumbent state Sen. Laura Woods (R) ran for re-election. She faced former state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger (D) in November.
In 2014, Woods narrowly defeated Zenzinger, the former incumbent, by a margin of 48 percent to 47 percent.
State Senate District 25
- District 25 featured an open seat in a swing district.
Incumbent state Sen. Mary Hodge (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits. Former state Rep. Kevin Priola (R) defeated former state Rep. Jenise May (D) in November.
According to the Colorado Independent, Republicans focused on picking up the District 25 seat due to the uncertainty involving the re-election of state Sen. Laura Woods (R), a conservative Republican in District 19.[9]
State Senate District 26
- District 26 featured an open seat in a swing district.
Incumbent state Sen. Linda Newell (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits. State Rep. Daniel Kagan (D) defeated Nancy Doty (R) in November.
State House District 3
- A Democrat and a Republican ran for this open seat.
Incumbent state Rep. Daniel Kagan (D) did not run for re-election. Jeff Bridges (D) defeated Katy Brown (R) in November.
This district was included in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's list of "2016 Essential Races." Read more »
This district was included in the Republican State Leadership Committee's list of "16 in '16: Races to Watch." Read more »
State House District 30
- The Republican incumbent ran for re-election in a swing district.
Incumbent state Rep. JoAnn Windholz (R) ran for re-election. She was defeated by Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D) in November.
In 2014, Windholz narrowly defeated Jenise May (D), the former incumbent, by a margin of 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent.
According to the Colorado Independent, the district was one of two races that could determine which party controlled the state House after the general election (District 31 was the other notable race).[9]
State House District 31
- The Democratic incumbent ran for re-election in a swing district.
Incumbent state Rep. Joe Salazar (D) ran for re-election. He defeated Jessica Sandgren (R) in November.
In 2014, Salazar narrowly defeated his Republican opponent by a margin of 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent.
According to the Colorado Independent, the district was one of two races that could determine which party controlled the state House after the general election (District 30 was the other notable race).[9]
Freshman legislators
The following is a list of challengers who won election on November 8.
- Adrienne Benavidez (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 32
- Angela Williams (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 33
- Barbara Hall McLachlan (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 59
- Bob Gardner (Republican), .Colorado State Senate, District 12
- Chris Hansen (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 6
- Christopher Louis Kennedy (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 23
- Dafna Michaelson Jenet (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 30
- Daniel Kagan (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 26
- Dave Williams (Colorado House) (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 15
- Dominick Moreno (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 21
- Dominique Jackson (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 42
- Donald Valdez (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 62
- Edie Hooton (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 10
- Hugh McKean (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 51
- James Coleman (Colorado) (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 7
- Jeff Bridges (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 3
- Jim Smallwood (Republican), .Colorado State Senate, District 4
- Kevin Priola (Republican), .Colorado State Senate, District 25
- Kimmi Lewis (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 64
- Larry Liston (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 16
- Leslie Herod (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 8
- Lois Court (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 31
- Matt Gray (Colorado) (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 33
- Mike Weissman (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 36
- Philip Covarrubias (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 56
- Rachel Zenzinger (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 19
- Rhonda Fields (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 29
- Stephen Fenberg (Democratic), .Colorado State Senate, District 18
- Susan Beckman (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 38
- Thomas Exum, Sr. (Democratic), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 17
Defeated incumbents
The following is a list of incumbents who were defeated on November 8.
- Catherine M. Roupe (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 17
- J. Paul Brown (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 59
- JoAnn Windholz (Republican), .Colorado House of Representatives, District 30
- Laura J. Woods (Republican), .Colorado State Senate, District 19
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Republican State Leadership Committee, "RSLC Announces State Legislative Election Targets for 2015-2016," accessed October 27, 2015
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Morning Digest: Can Bernie Sanders help these candidates win their own primaries?" January 20, 2016
- ↑ Bob Gardner, "Bob on the Issues," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ Gordon Klingenschmitt, "Issues," accessed June 17, 2016
- ↑ Rhonda Fields, "What I believe," accessed June 20, 2016
- ↑ Su Ryden, "Issues," accessed June 20, 2016
- ↑ electjanakjoshi.com, "Issues," accessed June 21
- ↑ Larry Liston, "Larry on the issues," accessed June 21, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Colorado Independent, "Is Adams County the new bellwether for Colorado politics?" March 30, 2016
