Colorado's 8th Senate district

Colorado's 8th State Senate district
From 2022 onward From 2012 to 2022
Senator	Dylan Roberts D – Eagle
Registration	24.2%  Republican 21.9%  Democratic 51.6%  No party preference
Demographics	79%  White 1%  Black 18%  Hispanic 1%  Asian 1% Other
Population (2018)	149,728 [1]
Registered voters	111,732 [2]

Colorado's 8th Senate district is one of 35 districts in the Colorado Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Dylan Roberts since 2023. Prior to redistricting the district was represented by Republicans Bob Rankin and Randy Baumgardner. ^{[3] [4]}

Geography

District 8 is based in the mountain and plains towns of the upper Western Slope, covering all of Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffatt, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit Counties. Communities in the district include Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, New Castle, Silt, Parachute, Battlement Mesa, No Name, Meeker, Rangely, Craig, Steamboat Springs, Hayden, Walden, Fraser, Granby, Kremmling, Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, and Keystone. ^[5]

The district overlaps with Colorado's 2nd and 3rd congressional districts, and with the 13th, 26th, 57th, and 61st districts of the Colorado House of Representatives. ^[6]

Recent election results

Colorado state senators are elected to staggered four-year terms. The old 8th district held elections in presidential years, but the new district drawn following the 2020 Census will hold elections in midterm years.

2022

The 2022 election will be the first one held under the state's new district lines. Incumbent Republican Senator Bob Rankin was redistricted to the 5th district, and State Rep. Dylan Roberts is running to succeed him in the 8th district, which was redrawn to be more friendly to Democrats. ^[7]

2022 Colorado State Senate election, District 8 ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dylan Roberts	40,765	55.7
	Republican	Matt Solomon	32,427	44.3
Total votes			73,192	100

Historical election results

2020

In 2017 and 2018, a sexual harassment claim was made against Senator Randy Baumgardner, which he denied. Baumgardner survived an expulsion vote in April 2018, but ultimately resigned in January 2019 after further allegations came to light. ^[9] Then-State Rep. Bob Rankin was chosen by a Republican vacancy committee to replace him, beating out former State Rep. Gregg Rippy and several other candidates. ^[10] Rankin won his first full term in 2020.

2020 Colorado State Senate election, District 8 ^[11]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Rankin (incumbent)	11,805	63.2
	Republican	Debra Irvine	6,873	36.8
Total votes			18,678	100
	Democratic	Karl Hanlon	10,847	55.8
	Democratic	Arn Menconi	8,584	44.2
Total votes			19,431	100
General election
	Republican	Bob Rankin (incumbent)	42,701	50.6
	Democratic	Karl Hanlon	41,717	49.4
Total votes			84,418	100
	Republican hold

2016

2016 Colorado State Senate election, District 8 ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Randy Baumgardner (incumbent)	39,526	54.9
	Democratic	Emily Tracy	32,530	45.1
Total votes			72,056	100
	Republican hold

2012

2012 Colorado State Senate election, District 8 ^[13]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Randy Baumgardner	6,809	58.2
	Republican	Jean White (incumbent)	4,887	41.8
Total votes			11,696	100
General election
	Republican	Randy Baumgardner	34,187	51.1
	Democratic	Emily Tracy	29,688	44.3
	Libertarian	Sacha Weis	3,079	4.6
Total votes			66,954	100
	Republican hold

Federal and statewide results

Year	Office	Results [14]
2020	President	Biden 51.6 - 45.8%
2018	Governor	Polis 50.5 – 46.0%
2016	President	Trump 48.2 – 43.7%
2014	Senate	Gardner 50.2 – 44.5%
	Governor	Beauprez 48.4 – 47.2%
2012	President	Romney 50.1 – 47.5%

References

1. "State Senate District 8, CO". Census Reporter. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
2. "Total Registered Voters by State Senate District, Party, and Status" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
3. "Senator Bob Rankin". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
4. "Colorado State Senate District 8". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
5. "Final Plans Approved by the Court". Colorado Redistricting - General Assembly. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
6. David Jarman. "How do counties, House districts, and legislative districts all overlap?". Daily Kos. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
7. Evan Wyloge and Marianne Goodland (November 24, 2021). "With new state House and Senate maps, let the games begin". Colorado Politics. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
8. "2022 Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
9. Nic Garcia (December 17, 2018). "Colorado Sen. Randy Baumgardner stepping down after beating expulsion vote". Denver Post. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
10. Thomas Phippen (January 2, 2019). "GOP panel sends Carbondale's Rankin to state Senate, replacing Baumgardner". Glenwood Springs Post Independent. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
11. "2020 Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
12. "2016 Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
13. "2012 Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
14. "Daily Kos Elections Statewide Results by LD". Daily Kos. Retrieved April 15, 2020.