(The Center Square) – After a few recent recount wins for Republicans in state House races, it is confirmed that Democrats have lost the supermajority in the state House.
Yet, on Jan. 8, the first regular session of the 75th General Assembly will open with Democrats still in control of both the state’s Senate and House.
“Colorado Democrats held back the red wave that swept much of the country,” the Colorado Democratic Party said in a statement. “We did that by showing up, especially in communities where Democrats aren’t typically competitive. But there’s more to do.”
With Democrats also controlling the governor’s seat, the party will have a trifecta in the state. That makes Colorado one of just 15 states with a Democrat trifecta going into 2025. Republicans, on the other hand, will have a trifecta in 23 states.
Shad Murib, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, said that “unusual” campaigning strategies helped Democrats maintain their majorities despite Republican momentum nationwide.
“With that refocus on rural Colorado and actually taking a look at counties that have often been left behind … we found that a little bit goes a long way in some of these communities,” Murib said. “So much of the work of politics is really about showing up.”
Even though Republicans are still in the minority, they are staying positive going into the 2025 legislative session.
“This historic win marks the three seats flipped for the House Republicans this year,” said the Colorado House Republicans after two House Republicans were confirmed to have won their recounts. “We are so excited to welcome them to our House Caucus.”
This election marked the first in the past decade that Republicans actually won seats in the state House instead of losing them.
Breaking the House supermajority and preventing one in the Senate will also give Republicans more power in the 2025 legislative session.
Without a supermajority, Democrats cannot refer constitutional amendments to the ballot without Republican support. It will also prevent potential veto overrides of Gov. Jared Polis, who, though a Democrat, has been labeled a “persistent roadblock” to progressive policies.
Ultimately, while the Republicans’ wins will likely not be enough to slow the tide of Democrat policies in the state entirely, it could still lead to more collaboration between the parties, as reported by the publication of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce.
“Reducing the number of Democrats … could have a tangible impact on the kinds of bills coming out of the House.”
