November 09, 2016 11:14 AM UTC

Status Quo Ante: Colorado Breaks Another Wave

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• by: Colorado Pols

Without a doubt, last night marked another massive win for Republicans across the nation, riding unexpected coattails of a surging Donald Trump to victories at all levels of American government. Republicans held the U.S. Senate, and made pre-election talk of Democrats taking the House look foolish. Across the nation, Republicans expanded their power in state legislatures and picked up several governorships–increasingly vital advantages with 2020’s all-important redistricting looming in the distance.

And of course, the full meaning of Trump’s victory and its portent for the future of American democracy cannot be objectively processed today.

But here in Colorado, in the third Republican “wave election” in six years, Democrats survived with not only minimal losses, but some modest wins to console themselves while mourning the national headlines. Clinton carried the state, the third consecutive presidential win for Democrats here. Michael Bennet’s victory, though unexpectedly narrow, underscores the huge missed opportunity for Republicans caused by Darryl Glenn’s nomination. Democrats expanded their majority in the Colorado House by several seats, and appear to have ousted several of the state’s more embarrassing hard-right Republicans in both chambers.

We’ll have much more to say as we pick up the pieces of the 2016 elections in Colorado, and unpack the many undeniable failures on both sides. At the end of the day, the parties in Colorado fought to a draw. In an election that turned from retreat to rout for Democrats nationally, this can reasonably be considered a victory for Democrats locally.

But it’s not at all what they expected. And on balance, it only provides so much comfort the morning after.