2020 Colorado Senate election

Last updated

2020 Colorado State Senate election
Flag of Colorado.svg
  2018 November 3, 2020 2022  

18 of the 35 seats in the Colorado Senate
18 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  Leroy Garcia 2020.JPG Chris Holbert (cropped).JPG
Leader Leroy Garcia Chris Holbert
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat District 3 District 30
Seats before1916
Seats won2015
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote920,525630,299
Percentage57.81%39.58%
Seats up108
Races won117

2020 Colorado Senate election results.svg
Results:
     Democratic gain
     Democratic hold     Republican hold
     No election

President of the Senate before election

Leroy Garcia
Democratic

Elected President of the Senate

Leroy Garcia
Democratic

The 2020 Colorado Senate elections took place on November 3, 2020, with the primary elections held on June 30, 2020. [1] Voters in 18 out of 35 districts of the state Senate elected their representative for a four-year term. [2] It coincided with the state House elections and the biennial United States elections. The Democratic Party retained control of the Senate winning 20 seats and increased their majority by one, gaining the 27th district from the Republican Party.

Contents

Background

In the previous state Senate election (2018), the Democrats claimed control of the chamber from the Republicans, gaining two Republican and one independent (formerly Democratic Senator) seat. That resulted in a 19-seat Democratic majority. Therefore, for Democrats to have lost their absolute majority in the Senate in this election, Republicans and other parties would have needed to gain at least 2 more seats.

Incumbents not seeking re-election

Term-limited incumbents

One Democratic and three Republican incumbents are term-limited and prohibited from seeking a consecutive third term. [2]

Retiring incumbents

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [3] Likely DOctober 21, 2020

Results

District Incumbent PartyElectedParty
4 Jim Smallwood RepJim SmallwoodRep
8 Bob Rankin RepBob RankinRep
10 Owen Hill Rep Larry Liston Rep
12 Bob Gardner RepBob GardnerRep
14 Joann Ginal DemJoann GinalDem
17 Mike Foote Dem Sonya Jaquez Lewis Dem
18 Steve Fenberg DemSteve FenbergDem
19 Rachel Zenzinger DemRachel ZenzingerDem
21 Dominick Moreno DemDominick MorenoDem
23 Vicki Marble Rep Barbara Kirkmeyer Rep
25 Kevin Priola RepKevin PriolaRep
26 Jeff Bridges DemJeff BridgesDem
27 Jack Tate Rep Chris Kolker Dem
28 Nancy Todd Dem Janet Buckner Dem
29 Rhonda Fields DemRhonda FieldsDem
31 Chris Hansen DemChris HansenDem
33 Angela Williams Dem James Coleman Dem
35 Larry Crowder Rep Cleave Simpson Jr. Rep

Bold - Gain
Italicize - Hold, new member

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 8, 1.16%
  2. District 25, 1.68%

Detailed results

District 4810121417181921232526272829313335

District 4

4th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Elissa Flaumenhaft 19,997 100.0
Total votes19,997 100.0
4th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Smallwood (incumbent) 26,061 100.0
Total votes26,061 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 4th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Smallwood (incumbent) 73,832 62.27
Democratic Elissa Flaumenhaft41,52635.02
Libertarian Wayne Harlos3,2082.71
Total votes118,566 100.0
Republican hold

District 8

8th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Karl Hanlon 10,847 55.82
Democratic Arn Menconi8,58444.18
Total votes19,431 100.0
8th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Rankin (incumbent) 11,805 63.20
Republican Debra Irvine6,87336.80
Total votes18,678 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 8th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Rankin (incumbent) 42,701 50.58
Democratic Karl Hanlon41,71749.42
Total votes84,418 100.0
Republican hold

District 10

10th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Randi McCallian 14,822 100.0
Total votes14,822 100.0
10th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Larry Liston 20,258 100.0
Total votes20,258 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 10th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Larry Liston 47,463 56.37
Democratic Randi McCallian32,11438.14
Libertarian Heather Johnson4,6205.49
Total votes84,197 100.0
Republican hold

District 12

12th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Electra Johnson 13,355 100.0
Total votes13,355 100.0
12th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Gardner (incumbent) 17,947 100.0
Total votes17,947 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 12th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Gardner (incumbent) 45,808 58.35
Democratic Electra Johnson29,65637.77
Libertarian Zechariah L. Harris3,0483.88
Total votes78,512 100.0
Republican hold

District 14

14th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joann Ginal (incumbent) 29,452 100.0
Total votes29,452 100.0
14th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Hans D. Hochheimer 10,555 100.0
Total votes10,555 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 14th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joann Ginal (incumbent) 63,409 66.65
Republican Hans D. Hochheimer31,72433.35
Total votes95,133 100.0
Democratic hold

District 17

17th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Sonya Jaquez Lewis 36,163 100.0
Total votes36,163 100.0
17th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Matthew D. Menza 10,009 100.0
Total votes10,009 100.0
17th District General Election, 2020
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Sonya Jaquez Lewis 65,226 67.89
Republican Matthew D. Menza30,84832.11
Total votes96,074 100.0
Democratic hold

District 18

18th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Steve Fenberg (incumbent) 40,036 100.0
Total votes40,036 100.0
18th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Peg Cage 4,673 100.0
Total votes4,673 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 18th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Steve Fenberg (incumbent) 75,261 82.90
Republican Peg Cage15,52417.10
Total votes90,785 100.0
Democratic hold

District 19

19th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rachel Zenzinger (incumbent) 27,598 100.0
Total votes27,598 100.0
19th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Lynn Gerber 13,926 100.0
Total votes13,926 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 19th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rachel Zenzinger (incumbent) 54,694 59.17
Republican Lynn Gerber37,74040.83
Total votes92,434 100.0
Democratic hold

District 21

21st District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Dominick Moreno (incumbent) 16,154 100.0
Total votes16,154 100.0
21st District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Martín Mendez 6,320 100.0
Total votes6,320 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 21st District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Dominick Moreno (incumbent) 41,438 63.55
Republican Martín Mendez23,76936.45
Total votes65,207 100.0
Democratic hold

District 23

23rd District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Sally Boccella 16,649 55.60
Democratic Galina Nicoll13,29544.40
Total votes29,944 100.0
23rd District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer 15,209 55.24
Republican Rupert Parchment12,32644.76
Total votes27,535 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 23rd District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer 71,570 55.14
Democratic Sally Boccella58,22744.86
Total votes129,797 100.0
Republican hold

District 25

25th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paula Dickerson 15,477 100.0
Total votes15,477 100.0
25th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kevin Priola (incumbent) 11,135 100.0
Total votes11,135 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 25th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kevin Priola (incumbent) 37,195 50.84
Democratic Paula Dickerson35,96849.16
Total votes73,163 100.0
Republican hold

District 26

26th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jeff Bridges (incumbent) 27,578 100.0
Total votes27,578 100.0
26th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Roth 12,142 100.0
Total votes12,142 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 26th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jeff Bridges (incumbent) 54,275 60.56
Republican Bob Roth32,98436.80
Libertarian Marc Solomon2,3662.64
Total votes89,625 100.0
Democratic hold

District 27

27th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Chris Kolker 26,173 100.0
Total votes26,173 100.0
27th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Suzanne Staiert 14,638 100.0
Total votes14,638 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 27th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Chris Kolker 51,005 55.30
Republican Suzanne Staiert41,22244.70
Total votes92,227 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 28

28th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Janet Buckner 24,483 100.0
Total votes24,483 100.0
28th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Karl Stecher 11,157 100.0
Total votes11,157 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 28th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Janet Buckner 51,028 61.92
Republican Karl Stecher31,38738.08
Total votes82,415 100.0
Democratic hold

District 29

29th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rhonda Fields (incumbent) 20,226 100.0
Total votes20,226 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 29th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rhonda Fields (incumbent) 45,828 68.66
Libertarian Michele Poague20,91431.34
Total votes66,742 100.0
Democratic hold

District 31

31st District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Chris Hansen (incumbent) 24,439 52.72
Democratic Maria E. Orms21,91647.28
Total votes46,355 100.0
31st District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Doug Townsend 6,762 100.0
Total votes6,762 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 31st District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Chris Hansen (incumbent) 74,288 76.70
Republican Doug Townsend22,56223.30
Total votes96,850 100.0
Democratic hold

District 33

33rd District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James Coleman 40,537 100.0
Total votes40,537 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 33rd District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James Coleman 75,702 91.01
Unity Jerry Burton7,4828.99
Total votes83,184 100.0
Democratic hold

District 35

35th District Democratic Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Carlos R. Lopez 15,609 100.0
Total votes15,609 100.0
35th District Republican Primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Cleave Simpson 17,504 100.0
Total votes17,504 100.0
2020 Colorado Senate election, 35th District
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Cleave Simpson 43,970 60.12
Democratic Carlos R. Lopez29,16339.88
Total votes73,133 100.0
Republican hold

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Senate</span> Upper house of Colorado General Assembly

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1968 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate. Held on November 5, the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. They coincided with the presidential election of the same year. The Republicans picked up five net seats in the Senate. This saw Republicans win a Senate seat in Florida for the first time since Reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1956 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1956 United States Senate elections were elections for the United States Senate that coincided with the re-election of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The 32 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections, and three special elections were held to fill vacancies. Although Democrats gained two seats in regular elections, the Republicans gained two seats in special elections, leaving the party balance of the chamber unchanged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1954 United States Senate elections was a midterm election in the first term of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency. The 32 Senate seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and six special elections were held to fill vacancies. Eisenhower's Republican party lost a net of two seats to the Democratic opposition. This small change was just enough to give Democrats control of the chamber with the support of an Independent who agreed to caucus with them, he later officially joined the party in April 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1942 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1942 United States Senate elections were held November 3, 1942, midway through Franklin D. Roosevelt's third term as president. The 32 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and two special elections were held to fill vacancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1912–13 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1912–13 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. They were the last U.S. Senate elections before the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, establishing direct elections for all Senate seats. Senators had been primarily chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1912 and 1913, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. Some states elected their senators directly even before passage of Seventeenth Amendment. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to adopt measures reflecting the people's will. By 1912, as many as 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in conjunction with a general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House elections for the 111th U.S. Congress

The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 4, 2008, to elect members to the United States House of Representatives to serve in the 111th United States Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It coincided with the election of Barack Obama as president. All 435 voting seats, as well as all 6 non-voting seats, were up for election. The Democratic Party, which won a majority of seats in the 2006 election, expanded its control in 2008.

The politics of Colorado, United States, are that of a blue state. Once considered a swing state that used to be Republican-leaning, Colorado has been trending Democratic since the early part of the 21st century due to changing demographics and a rising number of the large unaffiliated bloc of voters leaning Democratic. The growing shift of the state's Republican Party towards social and religious conservatism along with shifting further to the right has also been cited as reasons for the changing voting patterns of Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 United States elections</span>

The 2002 United States elections were held on November 5, in the middle of Republican President George W. Bush's first term. Republicans won unified control of Congress, picking up seats in both chambers of Congress, making Bush the first President since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 to gain seats in both houses of Congress. In the gubernatorial elections, Democrats won a net gain of one seat. The elections were held just a little under fourteen months after the September 11 attacks. Thus, the elections were heavily overshadowed by the War on Terror, the impending Iraq War, the early 2000s recession, and the sudden death of Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota about one week before the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 Virginia state elections</span>

Virginia's 1999 state elections were held on November 2, 1999. Voters elected all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates to two-year terms ending in 2002, and all 40 members of the Virginia Senate to four-year terms ending in 2004. There were also elections for local offices in most counties. The elections resulted in the loss of Democratic control of the House of Delegates for the first time in 116 years, and continued the two-year control of the Senate by Republicans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate elections</span>

The 2020 United States Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, with the 33 class 2 seats of the Senate contested in regular elections. Of these, 21 were held by Republicans, and 12 by Democrats. The winners were elected to 6-year terms from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2027. Two special elections for seats held by Republicans were also held in conjunction with the general elections: one in Arizona, to fill the vacancy created by John McCain's death in 2018; and one in Georgia, following Johnny Isakson's resignation in 2019. These elections ran concurrently with the 2020 United States presidential election in which incumbent President Donald Trump lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie Danielson</span> American politician

Jessie Danielson is an American politician from the State of Colorado. She is an elected member of the Colorado State Senate representing District 22 after being redistricted from District 20. Previously, she served in the Colorado House of Representatives representing District 24 in Jefferson County. A Democrat, Danielson was first elected in the November 4, 2014 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections</span> House election for the 118th U.S. Congress

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 8, 2022, as part of the 2022 United States elections during incumbent president Joe Biden's term. Representatives were elected from all 435 U.S. congressional districts across each of the 50 states to serve in the 118th United States Congress, as well as five non-voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the District of Columbia and four of the five inhabited insular areas. Numerous other federal, state, and local elections, including the 2022 U.S. Senate elections and the 2022 U.S. gubernatorial elections, were also held on the same date. This was the first election after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Colorado House of Representatives election</span>

The 2018 Colorado House of Representatives elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Colorado voters elected state representatives in all 65 of the state house's districts. State representatives serve two-year terms in the Colorado House of Representatives. The Colorado Reapportionment Commission provides a statewide map of the state House here, and individual district maps are available from the U.S. Census here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Colorado Senate election</span>

The 2018 Colorado State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Colorado voters elected state senators in 17 of the 35 districts in the state senate. State senators serve four-year terms in the Colorado State Senate. The Colorado Reapportionment Commission provides a statewide map of the state Senate here, and individual district maps are available from the U.S. Census here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Colorado House of Representatives election</span>

The 2020 Colorado House of Representatives elections took place on November 3, 2020, with the primary elections held on June 30, 2020. Voters in all 65 districts of the state House elected their representative for a two-year term. It coincided with the state Senate elections and the biennial United States elections. The Democratic Party retained control of the House of Representatives. The Democrats gained the 38th District while the Republicans gained the 47th District, resulting in no net seat change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States state legislative elections</span> 2020 U.S. stage legislative elections

The 2020 United States state legislative elections were held on November 3, 2020, for 86 state legislative chambers in 44 states. Across the fifty states, approximately 65 percent of all upper house seats and 85 percent of all lower house seats were up for election. Nine legislative chambers in the five permanently-inhabited U.S. territories and the federal district of Washington, D.C. also held elections. The elections took place concurrently with several other federal, state, and local elections, including the presidential election, U.S. Senate elections, U.S. House elections, and gubernatorial elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Wisconsin elections</span> 2000 elections in Wisconsin, United States

The 2000 Wisconsin Fall General Election was held in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on November 7, 2000. One of Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seats was up for election, as well as Wisconsin's nine seats in the United States House of Representatives, the sixteen even-numbered seats in the Wisconsin State Senate, and all 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Voters also chose eleven electors to represent them in the Electoral College, which then participated in selecting the president of the United States. The 2000 Fall Partisan Primary was held on September 12, 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Colorado Senate election</span>

The 2022 Colorado Senate elections took place on November 8, 2022, with the primary elections held on June 28, 2022. Voters in 17 out of the 35 districts of the Colorado Senate elected their representative for a four-year term. It coincided with other Colorado elections of the same year and the biennial United States elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Colorado Senate election</span> The 2014 Colorado State Senate Election

The 2014 Colorado Senate elections were held on November 4, 2014 to elect 18 of the 35 members of the Colorado Senate. The election coincided with Colorado House of Representatives elections and other state and federal elections. Primary elections were held on June 24, 2014. Republicans gained control of the chamber for the first time since 2005, gaining one seat.

References

  1. "June 30, 2020 Primary Election - State Senate". Colorado Election Results.
  2. 1 2 "Senate Term Limits | Colorado General Assembly". Colorado General Assembly. February 17, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  3. "October Overview: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races". The Cook Political Report . Retrieved November 1, 2020.