Colorado House Republicans succeed in breaking Democratic supermajority, official recounts discover.

A mandatory recount in Colorado Springs resulted in a Republican winning a state House seat by a narrow three-vote margin, after initially being held by a Democrat.

December 6th 2024.

Colorado House Republicans succeed in breaking Democratic supermajority, official recounts discover.
In a surprising turn of events, a narrow margin of just three votes has caused a major shift in the political landscape of Colorado Springs. After a mandatory recount, it was officially announced on Thursday evening that the state House seat previously held by a Democrat has now been flipped to a Republican. This victory has effectively broken the Democratic supermajority in the chamber and secured 22 seats for the GOP out of a total of 65. While Democrats still hold a strong majority with 43 seats, they are now one seat shy of the 2-to-1 ratio needed for a supermajority.

The close race in House District 16 between Republican Rebecca Keltie and Democratic incumbent Rep. Steph Vigil proved to be a crucial one. Keltie emerged victorious with 20,641 votes, just three votes more than Vigil's 20,638. This outcome not only secured another seat for the Republican party, but it also marked the end of the Democratic supermajority. However, it is important to note that a supermajority does not necessarily guarantee a significant change in the way the Capitol operates.

Meanwhile, in another closely contested race, Republican Dan Woog managed to maintain his lead in House District 19, which covers parts of Boulder and Weld counties. Woog, a former state representative, received 28,420 votes while Democrat Jillaire McMillan trailed closely with 28,310 votes. Although McMillan conceded the race on November 15, the margins were still narrow enough to trigger a mandatory recount. It is clear that every vote counts in these crucial elections.

Rep. Vigil has stated that she will honor the results of the recount, showing her dedication to the democratic process. The concept of a supermajority is important as it allows legislators to override a governor's veto and refer amendments to the state constitution on a party-line vote. However, with the current political climate at the Capitol, it is unlikely that the loss of the supermajority will have a significant impact on the workings of the building.

It is worth noting that the Democrats were already one seat short of a supermajority in the Senate, a margin that remained unchanged in the November elections. With solid control of both chambers and a Democratic governor in Jared Polis, the party still holds a strong position in the state. To stay updated on all things related to Colorado politics, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.

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