Is Colorado a solidly (non-Atlas) "blue" state?

[All Along The Watchtower]

I'd say it's still at Option 4, but with the way things appear to be trending, it will soon be at Option 3.

However, Colorado is still a very "purple" state overall, with almost equal numbers of strong partisans in both parties, but a larger share of "weak" partisans across the board. And unfortunately - as has been the case in much of the country - the demographics that have been strongly contributing to Colorado's Democratic trend are rather unreliable in midterm elections i.e. Latinos and young voters in general (with the former being a significant - and growing - percentage of the latter).

Furthermore, the Democratic Party has also been starting to get the votes of many traditionally Republican (or more likely, "weak" Republican) voters in the state, and they are by no means a liberal bunch except on the Culture Wars (and even then, it's not that big of a priority either way for many of them). So they are certainly not a reliable voter base especially considering the emerging trend of the Democrats being pulled leftward by the likes of Bernie Sanders.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the only viable choices for President are a Democrat more or less in the mold of Bernie Sanders and a Republican more or less in the mold of Donald Trump (which really seems to be the way things are heading in the respective major parties). I suspect that there will be a lot more third-party votes from many traditional Republicans - which will only help the Democrats as reactionary, far-right whites continue to die off or otherwise shrink as a share of the electorate.

[Figueira]

It is becoming one in presidential elections. As far as Senate elections go, we'll have to wait for 2020 to find out.

[RINO Tom]

I honestly don't know if 2016 can tell us anything...

[OSR stands with Israel]

I honestly don't know if 2016 can tell us anything...

[andrew_c]

Currently, no, but Trump is certainly pushing the state that way.

[IceSpear]

The 2014 Senate election was pretty telling. A gigantic national GOP wave, low turnout, with a top tier recruit (probably the best the COGOP had/has) running against a candidate who based his campaign so heavily on abortion that he was constantly mocked and got the nickname Mark Uterus. Even in this perfect storm for the GOP, Gardner still only won by <2 points and didn't crack 50%.

So, I wouldn't say solid, but CO is definitely looking like a blue state.

[Vosem]

No -- the Democratic base in Colorado is well-educated white voters; exactly a type who (assuming parties stay roughly, ideologically, as the coalitions they are now; may be an iffy assumption) will vote Democratic most of the time but will be prone to occasionally defecting towards the Republicans en masse.

[RINO Tom]

No -- the Democratic base in Colorado is well-educated white voters; exactly a type who (assuming parties stay roughly, ideologically, as the coalitions they are now; may be an iffy assumption) will vote Democratic most of the time but will be prone to occasionally defecting towards the Republicans en masse.

Yeah, I'll go ahead and say their base is minoroties, like almost everywhere else.

[Roronoa D. Law]

Can't be determined right now because Democrats had preferable environment to win Colorado in the past two and current election. Also the white vote fluctuate to much.

[Virginiá]

Can't be determined right now because Democrats had preferable environment to win Colorado in the past two and current election. Also the white vote fluctuate to much.

Do you mean 'preferable' in the sense that Democrats won (or will) each time? Because 2012 wasn't what I'd call preferable.

I suppose you could argue that it's not that safe to say right now because it's untested in such a situation, but all the other markers there suggest a state moving away from the GOP. Even if it's still winnable for the GOP, I hardly expect them to put up a candidate that is acceptable to CO voters anytime soon, by which time it'll then probably be off the table.

[Vosem]

No -- the Democratic base in Colorado is well-educated white voters; exactly a type who (assuming parties stay roughly, ideologically, as the coalitions they are now; may be an iffy assumption) will vote Democratic most of the time but will be prone to occasionally defecting towards the Republicans en masse.

Yeah, I'll go ahead and say their base is minoroties, like almost everywhere else.

OK -- educated young white voters are an unusually important part of the coalition in Colorado, and capable of throwing the election to the Republicans singlehandedly.

[Landslide Lyndon]

If the Republican party follows Trump's lead and becomes a populist far-right, white-grievance party, then yes.

[Xing]

It's certainly been heading in that direction.

[ElectionsGuy]

It is only solidly blue in this presidential election. Had Cruz, Kasich, or anybody else been the nominee Colorado would be competitive this year. So no to all.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Not even close.  While it's trended D over the last few years, I doubt this is a so much a long-term trend as it is a reflection of how the nation has a whole has shifted leftward.

[Sedona]

It's certainly moving in the Democrats' direction, but it's still far from being a safe blue state.  If the Republicans had not nominated Colorado's version of Ted Cruz, they might be beating Bennet right now.

[Ljube]

No -- the Democratic base in Colorado is well-educated white voters; exactly a type who (assuming parties stay roughly, ideologically, as the coalitions they are now; may be an iffy assumption) will vote Democratic most of the time but will be prone to occasionally defecting towards the Republicans en masse.

Yeah, I'll go ahead and say their base is minoroties, like almost everywhere else.

OK -- educated young white voters are an unusually important part of the coalition in Colorado, and capable of throwing the election to the Republicans singlehandedly.