2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

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 Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– %Republican7884,03250.144 257.14Democratic7800,90045.423 242.86Libertarian638,8642.2000.0Constitution427,4191.5600.0Others28,9680.5100.0Green12,9230.1700.0Write-in3460.0000.0Total301,763,152100.07100.0

By district Results of the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado by district:

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

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Diana DeGette, who had represented this liberal Denver based district since 1997, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 71.9% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a PVI of D+21.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Diana DeGette, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Mike Fallon, emergency room physician

Withdrawn Steven Barton

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee Clint Jones, human resources manager

Eliminated in primary Jeffrey Schitter, business owner

Results

Green primary Candidates Nominee Gary Swing, perennial candidate

Constitution primary Candidates Nominee Chris Styskal, former corporate manager

General election Campaign Fallon's campaign was characterized by informal "town hall meetings," often held at local pubs, and by "door-to-door" interaction with voters. On September 20,, Fallon made national news when the NRCC upgraded him to "On the Radar" status - the first of three levels in their Young Guns Program. This prompted DeGette to sent an email to supporters, informing them of Fallon's "On the Radar" status, and requesting donations, stating that, "We can't take anything for granted this year." The fundraising request received significant local media attention.

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."

Endorsements

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administeredSamplesizeMargin of error DianaDeGette (D) MikeFallon (R)Undecided ccAdvertising (R) October 17–19, 2010 698 (LV) ±?% 44% 36% 20%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal BallCrystal Ball, November 1, 2010RCPRealClearPolitics, November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

Results Congresswoman DeGette was heavily favored to win re-election, and on election day, she overwhelmingly won an eighth term in Congress.

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Diana DeGette (D) $825,016 $822,289 $108,829 Mike Fallon (R) $196,993 $196,993 $0 Clint Jones (L) Unreported Gary Swing (G) Unreported Chris Styskal (C) Unreported

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Diana DeGette (D) $20,509 $0 Mike Fallon (R) $0 $0 Clint Jones (L) $0 $0 Gary Swing (G) $0 $0 Chris Styskal (C) $0 $0

District 2

Incumbent Democrat Jared Polis, who had represented the district, centred around heavily Democratic Boulder and the northwestern suburbs of Denver, since 2009, ran for re-election. He was elected with 62.6% of the vote in 2008 and the district had a PVI of D+11.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Jared Polis, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Stephen Bailey, software marketing director

Eliminated in primary Bob Brancato, private investigator

Campaign Brancato briefly suspended his campaign in July following a local newspaper reporting on 2009 domestic incident that the police attended. Brancato's wife vehemently denied there had been domestic abuse and stated that she called police because her husband was suffering from an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee Curtis Harris, retired businessman and investor

Constitution primary Candidates Nominee Jenna Goss, event promotions contractor

Unity primary Candidates Withdrawn Bill Hammons, founder and National Chairman of the Unity Party of America

General election Endorsements

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administered SamplesizeMargin of error JaredPolis (D) StephenBailey (R)OtherUndecided Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies (R) September 20, 2010 688 (LV) ±3.7% 48% 36% 8% 8%

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 1, 2010 Rothenberg November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 1, 2010RCP November 1, 2010CQ PoliticsOctober 28, 2010New York Times November 1, 2010FiveThirtyEight November 1, 2010

Results As expected, Polis won by a wide margin, albeit a smaller one than this district is used to giving its Democratic representatives.

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Jared Polis (D) $1,248,539 $895,953 $382,126 Stephen Bailey (R) $130,886 $130,747 $139 Curtis Harris (L) $8,474 $8,476 $0 Jenna Goss (C) Unreported

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed Jared Polis (D) $96,882 $0 Stephen Bailey (R) $0 $0 Curtis Harris (L) $0 $0 Jenna Goss (C) $0 $0

District 3

Incumbent Democrat John Salazar, who had represented the conservative, west Colorado district since 2005, ran for re-election. He was re–elected with % of the vote in 2008 and the district had a PVI of R+5.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee John Salazar, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Scott Tipton, state representative and nominee for this seat in 2006

Eliminated in primary Bob McConnell, retired lawyer and Army officer

Withdrawn Martin Beeson, district attorney for the 9th Judicial District (endorsed Tipton)

Endorsements

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Nominee Gregory Gilman, electrical engineer

Other Candidates Jake Segrest, small business owner (Independent)

General election Campaign A contentious race ensued. Tipton attacked Salazar for voting for the 2009 Stimulus while Salazar retaliated that Tipton wanted to "[cut] Social Security and Medicare spending in half."

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."

Endorsements

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administered SamplesizeMargin of error JohnSalazar (D) ScottTipton (R)OtherUndecided Penn Schoen Berland (The Hill/ANGA)The Hill/ANGA October 19–21, 2010 400 (LV) ±4.9 43% 47% 2% 8% Ayres, McHenry & Associates (R–American Action Forum)American Action Forum August 23–28, 2010 400 (LV) ±4.9 43% 51% – 7% Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies (R) August 17–19, 2010 ? ±3.1 43% 49% – 8% Tarrance Group (R) December 8–9, 2009 ? ±5.7 46% 44% – 10%

Results

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand John Salazar (D) $2,067,198 $2,474,562 $57,389 Scott Tipton (R) $1,232,113 $1,207,832 $24,117 Gregory Gilman (L) Unreported Jake Segrest (I) $18,767 $18,465 $300

Outside Spending Candidate (party) Supported Opposed John Salazar (D) $213,381 $1,452,647 Scott Tipton (R) $106,637 $2,067,485 Gregory Gilman (L) $0 $0 Jake Segrest (I) $0 $0

District 4

Incumbent Democrat Betsy Markey, who had represented this conservative east Colorado-based district since 2009, ran for re-election. She was elected with % of the vote in 2008 and the district had a PVI of R+6.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Betsy Markey, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Cory Gardner, state representative

Withdrawn Diggs Brown, financial adviser, military veteran and Fort Collins City Council member Tom Lucero, businessman and former member of University of Colorado Board of Regents Dean Madere, conservative activist

Declined Greg Brophy, state senator Ken Buck, Weld County District Attorney Mark Hillman, former acting State Treasurer and Majority Leader of the state senate Bill Jerke, former Weld County Commissioner Marilyn Musgrave, former U.S. Representative

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Withdrawn Jassen Bowman

Constitution primary Candidates Nominee Doug Aden, small business owner

Unity primary Candidates Withdrawn Mike Nelson, oilfield worker

General election Campaign Markey, seen as a vulnerable member of Congress 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. 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.

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.

Endorsements

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administered SamplesizeMargin of error BetsyMarkey (D) CoryGardner (R)Undecided ccAdvertising (R) October 1, 2010 2,743 (LV) ±?% 35%47% 18% Penn Schoen Berland (The Hill/ANGA)September 25–27, 2010 391 (LV) ±5.0 41%44% 14% Bennett, Petts & NormingtonBennett, Petts & Normington (D) September 6–7, 2010 400 (LV) ±? 38% 38%24% Ayres, McHenry & Associates (R–American Action Forum)American Action Forum August 23–28, 2010 400 (LV) ±4.9 39% 50% 11%

Results 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.

Finances Campaigns Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand Betsy Markey (D) $3,505,293 $3,516,268 $10,617 Cory Gardner (R) $2,426,591 $2,407,602 $18,989 Doug Aden (C) Unreported Ken Waskiewicz (I) Unreported

Outside Spending

2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

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