Colorado Feeling Blue

In what must be a disconcerting situation for all those conservative Christian organizations that settled in Colorado Springs (like Focus on the Family), Colorado is rapidly switching from a solid red conservative state to a blue Democratic state:

The colors are changing this autumn in Colorado — from solid Republican red to something approaching a strong tint of Democratic blue.

A GOP stronghold from the mid-1990s through President Bush's first term, Colorado has emerged as one of the Democrats' principal prospects for gains in the 2006 election. Polls show Democrats holding an edge in most of the state's key contests, including an open House seat and the battle between Democrat Bill Ritter and Republican Rep. Bob Beauprez for the governorship.

"Anything is possible, but if we were having this election today, the Democrats would be in control of Colorado, from the governorship to a majority of the congressional seats to both houses of the state Legislature," said Floyd Ciruli, a Denver-based independent pollster.

If Democrats can maintain their advantages here, the results could not only tilt the local balance of power but reshape the national battlefield for the 2008 presidential campaign.

Denver is supposedly a finalist for the 2008 Democratic convention (along with New York), and I'll predict right now that they'll get the nod. The Dems don't need New York since it's reliably blue, but they do need Colorado, and if they think the convention can help them take the state, that's where they'll go.