Quarter Century of Political Change for Colorado and Metro Denver 2000-2024

Denver Metro Area Map courtesy of www.larryhotz.com

Starting in 2008 after the Democratic National Convention that was held in Denver and Barack Obama’s ultimate election, Democrats have dominated Colorado presidential politics. Notice the significant jump in the Democratic vote in Denver after the convention. Arapahoe, a mostly Republican County, also drifted towards the Democrats in 2008 and much further after the 2018 election with a near sweep of county offices.

Douglas County remains Republican but not as strongly as early in the century. After Obama, Democrats Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris all won the Colorado presidential contests.

The metro area includes Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. Together, the region voted 63 percent for Harris in 2024, nine points higher than the state. Denver, Boulder and Broomfield were the most supportive counties for Harris and Douglas the least. Adams and Jefferson counties are more competitive, but the Democratic party has been in control.

Vibrant Denver Wins Big

Election Night party at Après Govnr's Park. Nov. 4, 2025. | Photo: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

When Denver voters are down they usually invest big. The city on the high plains really would not have been much if founders hadn’t fought for the railroad which started it off to become the regional transportation hub it is today. It took an airport investment in DIA (the region’s biggest business) during the middle of a steep economic downturn to keep Denver the Capital of the Rocky Mountains West.

The 2025 near-billion-dollar bond package won a major victory as Denver makes a statement that the current economic and political climate won’t hold it back.

Roberts’ Court Begins Term with Record Low Respect

Roberts and President Donald Trump shook hands at a joint session of Congress in March. | Win McNamee/Getty Images

Chief Justice John Roberts, a Washington establishment conservative, was described as an institutionalist. Protecting and even enhancing the Supreme Court’s reputation was his goal.

After 20 years, he has spectacularly failed. This next session is likely to drive a court already seen as “too conservative” even further to the right and the institution into what Gallup reports as its record lowest level of respect.

Approval of how the “Supreme Court is handling its job” has lost more than 16 points since 2020, going from 58 percent approval to 42 percent today. The Dobbs decision in 2022 and the Amy Comey-Barrett appointment to the Court in 2020 has cemented the Court’s image and reputation as conservative. In fact, 43 percent now believe the Court is “too conservative,” a record high, up from 32 percent in 2020.

The presidential immunity decision of Roberts, which many believe has emboldened Trump to repeated challenges to the rule of law along with numerous so-called “shadow” docket decisions has made Trump and the expansion of his power the primary legacy of Roberts and his Court.

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SCFD: Logos and Principles

The Denver Zoo’s earliest and most renowned exhibit, dating from 1918, held a Rocky Mountain brown bear in its cave-like Bear Mountain. It was one of the nation’s first natural-themed animal exhibits, with no bars.

Fast forward to 1988 when the campaign for the newly conceived SCFD (Scientific & Cultural Facilities District) began, and the Zoo opened Northern Shores, a polar bear exhibit with a viewing area where the bears could be seen swimming underwater. It became wildly popular. A regional poll showed that polar bears are an especially beloved animal, so the campaign retained the Zoo’s design artist to create the SCFD bear logo – a version of which has been central to the campaigns and the district’s marketing efforts ever since.

The SCFD is a national model and has been an operational success in the seven-county Denver metro area for more than 35 years. As it begins its path to reauthorization in 2028, it will be important to keep in mind the basic principles that were established in the original legislation.

A series of blog posts that describe them:

• The SCFD and Regionalism
• Guidelines for Public Support and Sustainability
• The SCFD is Designed to be Frugal and Accountable
• Reasons for SCFD Staying Out of Politics

Denver’s Bond Campaign Builds Momentum

Denver city leaders cut the ribbon on the opening of the city’s 16th Street to symbolize its reopening after years of renovations, Oct. 4, 2025. Photo: Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

Denver’s civic establishment is now pushing toward a positive vote for Denver’s five property tax debt increases for infrastructure:

2A	Transportation and mobility
2B	Parks (Park Hill) and recreation
2C	Health and human services
2D	Infrastructure related to libraries, art, culture, animal shelter, police/fire training center
2E	Housing and shelter

Although a regular campaign of online communication, legacy media, and direct voter contact is being launched, the main thrust of activity is to announce completion of or plans for various city projects. These include the long-overdue but welcomed ribbon cutting for the 16th Street project, the announcement for a revamp of Pavilions Mall on 16th Street, and confirmation of the Broncos’ stay in Denver in old water department space.

The goal is to show Denver on the move after the bad news of slow growth, federal funding cuts, and Denver’s budget crisis and layoffs. Voters like good news. It should help.

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Pueblo Has a Barn Burner Election

Pueblo, CO | Photo via City of Pueblo website

In the November election, Pueblo will continue its recent political history of upheaval. Having just changed its form of governance from city council/manager to elected mayor, it may vote to change back. When most cities are avoiding general fund sales tax increases (no metro Denver city is requesting one), Pueblo wants one. It also is asking to renew a half-cent sales tax for economic development at the same time firing its economic development organization (PEDCO), which has been leading the charge for 40 plus years. It also has a host of charter amendments benefitting unions and elected officials.

Pueblo in recent years has added more Republicans to office, including the Pueblo Mayor and two County Commissioners. But the city’s governance doesn’t look more responsible.

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Trump Approval Holds, Negatives Grow

Senior military leaders look on at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30. Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Donald Trump did not have a good September. He is now 8 points negative on approval and disapproval. But more importantly, he’s probably a 42 percent approval, or 3 lower than the RCP average shown below if you examine the economic issues where Trump is mostly around a 42 or lower approval.

A review of Trump’s approval average on the top issues highlights his weakness.

As we discussed in the September 2 post “Trump Shifts to Crime, Anti-DC,” crime and immigration are the only issues working for him and inflation and the economy are major problems.

In September, a new issue emerging was authoritarianism, which is surging negative for the President. From the Kirk funeral oration to Kimmel to Comey to troops in the cities, alarm bells are ringing for much of the public from Trump’s rhetoric and behavior. Ipsos reports (9-28-25 Opinion Today) the top issue at the end of September is political extremism and threats to democracy ahead of the second place issue, the economy.

Nearly half of Democrats (45%) rate it number one and 27 percent of independents (28% overall, 14% Republicans).