Denver Metro Area Becoming Democratic Stronghold

With the collapse of Jefferson and Arapahoe counties as Republican strongholds, Democrats now dominate the Denver metro region with such majorities as to overwhelm Republicans’ historic strengths in El Paso, Douglas, Weld and Mesa and many smaller metro counties.

For several decades, the metro area provided about 55 percent of its vote to Democrats running statewide if they were a competitive candidate (Hickenlooper won 56% and Udall 53% in 2014). Jared Polis won the metro area by 60 percent. The seven counties gave Polis 65 percent of his vote, while providing 57 percent of the state total vote.

Denver, in particular, with its recent surge in population and density, turned out 239,000 votes for Polis in the 2018 midterm election and gave him 77 percent of its vote, or 18 percent of his statewide total. Denver, with its large population and overwhelming Democratic vote, is the biggest driver to Democrats gaining control of the state.

Polis, who won statewide with 53 percent, received 54 percent in Jefferson and 59 percent in Arapahoe, together providing nearly a quarter of his statewide vote (24%). In the midterm, Arapahoe went more Democratic than Adams and Jefferson, an amazing result.