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2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

←  2008 November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02) 2012 →

All 7 Colorado seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 2 5
Seats won 4 3
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 884,032 800,900
Percentage 50.1% 45.4%
Swing Increase 6.8% Decrease 9.7%

The 2010 congressional elections in Colorado were held on November 2, 2010 to determine who will represent the state of Colorado in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 112th Congress.

Colorado has seven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2008-2009 congressional delegation consisted of five Democrats and two Republicans.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado, 2010 [1]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Republican 884,032 50.14% 4 +2
Democratic 800,900 45.42% 3 -2
Libertarian 38,864 2.20% 0
American Constitution 27,419 1.56% 0
Other Parties 11,937 0.68% 0
Totals 1,763,152 100.00% 7

By district

Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado by district: [2]

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
District 1 59,747 28.97% 140,073 65.81% 7,931 5.22% 207,751 100.0% Democratic hold
District 2 98,171 37.90% 148,720 57.41% 12,143 4.69% 259,034 100.0% Democratic hold
District 3 129,257 50.10% 118,048 45.76% 10,694 4.14% 257,999 100.0% Republican gain
District 4 138,634 52.48% 109,249 41.35% 16,298 6.17% 264,181 100.0% Republican gain
District 5 152,829 65.75% 68,039 29.27% 11,566 4.98% 232,434 100.0% Republican hold
District 6 217,368 65.68% 104,104 31.46% 9,471 2.86% 330,943 100.0% Republican hold
District 7 88,026 41.76% 112,667 53.44% 10,117 4.80% 210,810 100.0% Democratic hold
Total 884,032 50.14% 800,900 45.42% 78,220 4.44% 1,763,152 100.0%

District 1

Campaign

In this heavily liberal [3] district based in the city of Denver and some nearby suburbs, incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Diana DeGette ran for an eighth term in Congress. DeGette faced a nominal challenge in her re-election from Republican candidate Mike Fallon, Green Party candidate Gary Swing, Libertarian candidate Clint Jones, and Constitution Party candidate Chris Styskal. The Denver Post strongly endorsed DeGette for re-election, praising her for having "served [her] district well" and for being "a steady voice who has served the interests of her district and the nation." Congresswoman DeGette was heavily favored to win re-election, and on election day, she overwhelmingly won another term in Congress.

Results

Colorado's 1st congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Diana DeGette (incumbent) 140,073 67.42
Republican Mike Fallon 59,747 28.76
Green Gary Swing 2,923 1.41
Libertarian Clint Jones 2,867 1.38
Constitution Chris Styskal 2,141 1.03
Total votes 207,751 100.00
Democratic hold

District 2

Campaign

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Polis ran for a second term in Congress in this liberal district [3] based in the northwestern suburbs of Denver and several towns in the Rocky Mountains, including Vail, Grand Lake and Idaho Springs. Polis, one of the few openly gay members of Congress, ran for re-election against Republican nominee Stephen Bailey, Constitution Party candidate Jenna Goss, and Libertarian nominee Curtis Harris, and was strongly favored in the general election. As expected, Polis won by a wide margin, albeit a smaller one than this district is used to giving its Democratic representatives.

Results

Colorado's 2nd congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jared Polis (incumbent) 148,720 57.41
Republican Stephen Bailey 98,171 37.90
Constitution Jenna Goss 7,080 2.73
Libertarian Curtis Harris 5,056 1.95
Write-ins 7 0.00
Total votes 259,034 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

Campaign

This conservative-leaning [3] district, which encompasses all of the Western Slope and most of southern Colorado, had been represented by Democratic Congressman John Salazar, first elected in 2004 and the brother of United States Secretary of the Interior and former U.S. Senator Ken Salazar, ran for a fourth term against State Representative Scott Tipton, Salazar’s 2006 opponent. A contentious race ensued. Opponent Tipton attacked Congressman Salazar for voting for the 2009 Stimulus while Salazar retaliated that Tipton wanted to "[cut] Social Security and Medicare spending in half." [4]

While the Denver Post praised Scott Tipton as a state lawmaker who "is knowledgeable about the issues, and touts his private sector experience," the Post endorsed Salazar for re-election, citing his "ability to work with people from differing political views to seek solutions that work for the district." [5]

Polling

Poll source Date(s) administered John
Salazar (D)
Scott
Tipton (R)
The Hill/ANGA October 19–21, 2010 43% 47%
American Action Forum August 23–28, 2010 43% 51%
Magellan Strategies August 17–19, 2010 43% 49%
Tarrance Group December 8–9, 2009 46% 44%

Results

Colorado's 3rd congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Tipton 129,257 50.10
Democratic John Salazar (incumbent) 118,048 45.76
Libertarian Gregory Gilman 5,678 2.20
Independent Jake Segrest 4,982 1.93
Write-ins 34 0.01
Total votes 257,999 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 4

2010 Colorado's 4th congressional district election

←  2008
2012 →
 
Nominee Cory Gardner Betsy Markey
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 138,634 109,249
Percentage 52.5% 41.4%

County Results
Gardner:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Markey:      40-50%      50-60%

U.S. Representative before election

Betsy Markey
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Cory Gardner
Republican

Campaign

Freshman Democratic Congresswoman Betsy Markey was initially elected to Congress in 2008 by defeating incumbent Republican Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave. Seeking a second term in this traditionally conservative [3] district that encompasses the Eastern Plains and most of the Front Range, Congresswoman Markey was challenged by State Representative Cory Gardner, the Republican nominee, as well as Constitution Party candidate Doug Aden and independent candidate Ken Waskiewicz.

Markey, seen as a vulnerable member of Congress [6] faced a tough challenge from Gardner. Challenger Gardner attacked Markey for supporting the 2009 Stimulus, asking rhetorically, "You want a shovel ready project we don't need? It's digging more debt," to which Markey responded, "I don't need to be lectured by someone who actually wants to tax the wind," a reference to a bill supported by Gardner in the state legislature that some claimed would allow for taxation of wind energy. [7] Gardner further attacked Markey for a variety of votes that she supposedly cast in a television advertisement, but controversy ensued and a local Fox News affiliate yanked the ad off the air when it came to surface that the votes that Congresswoman Markey "cast" were actually cast by Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey. [8]

The Denver Post, citing Gardner's reputation as a "go-to guy in the legislature" and praising his motivation to bring "fiscal discipline to government," endorsed the Republican, expressing their discontent with Markey for "[straying] to the left" during her time in Congress. [9]

Though polls indicated that Gardner held a narrow lead at best, Markey ultimately was defeated in her bid for a second term by a fairly comfortable eleven point margin of victory.

Polling

Poll source Date(s) administered Betsy
Markey (D)
Cory
Gardner (R)
The Hill/ANGA[ permanent dead link] September 25–27, 2010 41% 44%
Bennett, Petts & Normington September 6–7, 2010 38% 38%
American Action Forum August 23–28, 2010 39% 50%

Results

Colorado's 4th congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cory Gardner 138,634 52.48
Democratic Betsy Markey (incumbent) 109,249 41.35
Constitution Doug Aden 12,312 4.66
Independent Ken Waskiewicz 3,986 1.51
Total votes 264,181 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

District 5

Campaign

Incumbent Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn, first elected in 2006, ran for a third term in this heavily conservative [3] district that is largely based in metro Colorado Springs. Despite the fact that Lamborn was subjected to tough Republican primaries in both 2006 and 2008, the fact that he had a clear path to the Republican nomination practically handed the general election to him, since the primary is tantamount to election here. Congressman Lamborn faced Democratic businessman Kevin Bradley, along with several independent candidates, in the general election, all of whom he was able to beat handily.

Results

Colorado's 5th congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 152,829 65.75
Democratic Kevin Bradley 68,039 29.27
Constitution Brian Scott 5,886 2.53
Libertarian Jerell Klaver 5,680 2.44
Total votes 232,434 100.00
Republican hold

District 6

Campaign

In this conservative [3] district based in the southern suburbs of Denver and some parts of Aurora, freshman Republican Congressman Mike Coffman, who was elected to replace retiring Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo in 2008, ran for a second term. Though Democrats attempted to target Tancredo following the Columbine massacre due to the fact that Columbine High School is located in the district and Tancredo strongly supported the National Rifle Association of America, [10] winning the race was clearly not a priority for the Democrats in 2010, who nominated little-known candidate John Flerlage as their candidate. Coffman won an overwhelming re-election, as expected.[ citation needed]

Results

Colorado's 6th congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Coffman (incumbent) 217,368 65.68
Democratic John Flerlage 104,104 31.46
Libertarian Rob McNealy 9,466 2.86
Write-ins 5 0.00
Total votes 330,943 100.00
Republican hold

District 7

Campaign

In this liberal leaning [3] district rooted in the northern, eastern, and western suburbs of Denver as well as rural portions of Adams County, incumbent Democratic Congressman Ed Perlmutter ran for a third term. Perlmutter was re-elected in a landslide two years prior, but this year, he was a target in the eyes of the National Republican Congressional Committee. [11] Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier stepped up to the plate and challenged Congressman Perlmutter in the general election.

Both candidates levied heavy attacks against each other as election day drew nearer. Frazier attacked Perlmutter for supporting the 2009 Stimulus, decrying it as a waste of taxpayer money; Perlmutter provided evidence that a charter school that Frazier represented, as well as the city of Aurora, received stimulus money. [12] In a bizarre moment during the campaign, the two candidates were discussing health care reform at a debate when Frazier pointed his hand at Perlmutter, who slapped it away, apologizing immediately thereafter. [13]

The Denver Post, calling for "new blood in Congress," endorsed Frazier over Perlmutter, declaring that despite Frazier’s young age of 33, "his grasp on the key issues facing the country has grown considerably since he first surfaced on the political scene." The Post, meanwhile, criticized Congressman Perlmutter for being "a solid vote for the Democratic majority" and for supporting "the Obama Administration’s over-reaching agenda." [14]

Results

Colorado's 7th congressional district election, 2010 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) 112,667 53.44
Republican Ryan Frazier 88,026 41.76
Libertarian Buck Bailey 10,117 4.80
Total votes 210,810 100.00
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Statistics of the Congressional Election" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. November 2, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  2. ^ Haas, Karen L. (June 3, 2011). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Archived copy" (PDF). www.cookpolitical.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2022.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ( link)
  4. ^ "Fact Check: Scott Tipton vs. John Salazar". www.kktv.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "Retain Salazar in 3rd District - The Denver Post". Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  6. ^ "Democrats See Hopes for West Dim in Colorado". The New York Times. May 9, 2010. Archived from the original on May 12, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2016.(subscription required)
  7. ^ "Betsy Markey Comes Out Swinging Against Cory Gardner At CD-4 Debate". HuffPost. Archived from the original on October 24, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  8. ^ Roberts, Michael (October 20, 2010). "Cory Gardner: See attack ad on Betsy Markey (or was that Ed Markey?) Fox 31 decided to yank". westword.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  9. ^ "Gardner right for the 4th CD - The Denver Post". Archived from the original on October 9, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  10. ^ "Salon News | The congressman from Columbine". Archived from the original on March 2, 2000.
  11. ^ Drehle, David Von (September 21, 2010). "2010: Races to Watch". Archived from the original on September 25, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2016 – via www.time.com.
  12. ^ Independent, Scot Kersgaard The Colorado (December 28, 2010). "Ryan Frazier's Charter School Actively Sought Stimulus Funds". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  13. ^ "WATCH: Ed Perlmutter Slaps Ryan Frazier's Hand During Debate, Apologizes". huffingtonpost.com. October 18, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "A fresh voice in the 7th District - The Denver Post". Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2010.

External links

Preceded by
2008 elections
United States House elections in Colorado
2010
Succeeded by
2012 elections