Colorado Republicans after the 2026 midterm elections, Digi Mart USA News: The blue wave in the national midterm elections was felt strongly in Colorado. Democrats currently hold all statewide offices, could win a 7-to-1 congressional map, and now have a supermajority in the state legislature.
KUNC host Marty Lenz spoke with Kelly Maher, a Republican political strategist and communications consultant with more than two decades of experience in Colorado politics. Maher runs a bipartisan consulting, communications and advocacy firm and co-founded Restoring Standards.
Asked to describe the state of the Colorado GOP, Maher said it was close to non-existent. She recalled that a couple of years ago the party had lost the state House, the state Senate and all statewide offices, which she called an extinction-level event.
She said she was searching for a bigger term this year, suggesting something like nuclear winter. As of the interview, she noted, more people in the state House identified as Democratic socialists than were registered Republicans.
Lenz asked about the race in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, where Rep. Lauren Boebert appeared to be at risk of defeat while still trailing Lawbacher by about 3,000 votes and the race had not been called.
Maher cited a statement from Boebert’s lawyer, Scott Gessler, a former Colorado Secretary of State, who said a significant number of votes remained outstanding and that the campaign was fighting for every vote. Gessler also said the campaign was investigating unusual voting patterns and expected a recount.
Maher said ballot returns had been trending toward Boebert, narrowing the margin to under one percentage point, but said it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to close the gap. She urged caution about making claims without specifying what was unusual, noting that such statements can fuel existing concerns about institutions, including voting institutions.
Maher said the race she found most compelling was the 5th Congressional District, where Republican Jeff Crank lost to Democrat Jessica Killin. She said the district, centered on Colorado Springs and areas toward Douglas County, had been held by a Republican for 54 years.
She said El Paso County, which had been a plus-four Trump district, swung 10 points toward Killin, a 14-point swing in two years.
Lenz also asked about Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser and whether he would have difficulty managing a legislature with a Democratic supermajority. Maher said he would have a hard time, noting he would be at the top of the ticket, and cited former Governor John Hickenlooper’s remark that the hardest period of his governorship was when Democrats controlled both chambers, adding that Weiser would face that situation “on steroids.”
