Littleton Election 2018 Results: Polis, Crow. Holbert Re-elected

LITTLETON, CO – Coloradans woke up to a Blue Wave in the state with all four state officers –governor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general – appearing to be elected Democrats, as well as Democratic majorities in all three state levels of government.

Littleton voters rejected all-but-one of the city's proposed ballot measures, but voted for inclusion in the South Metro Fire and Rescue district.

Incumbent Dist. 38 State Rep. Susan Beckman was less than 600 votes ahead of Democrat challenger Chris Kolker. But in Douglas County and metro-Denver's most staunchly Republican voter-bases, a powerful GOP state senator won re-election and an open State House seat remained in Republican control.

Democrat Jared Polis proclaimed victory in the Colorado governor's race after Republican Walker Stapleton conceded around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Also, Democrat Jason Crow won the U.S Congressional 5th District race, defeating long-time incumbent Republican Mike Coffman.

Mechanical glitches in four counties prevented statewide complete vote totals, until mid-morning Wednesday.

Republican attorney general candidate George Brauchler finally conceded Wednesday afternoon. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Phil Weiser was up by 41,644 votes and had received 951,332 votes, or 49.67 percent of the tallied vote to Brauchler's 909,688 votes (47.49 percent). Libertarian candidate William Robinson won 54,474 votes, or 2.84 percent.

Weiser declared unilateral victory Tuesday. A first-time candidate and former Dean of CU's law school and a former member of presidents Obama and Clinton's Department of Justice teams, Weiser has said he would focus on the national role attorneys general play in U.S. policy.

Republican treasurer candidate businessman Brian Watson also dragged his feet with a concession, although he was clearly behind top vote-getter Greeley state legislator and college instructor Democrat David Young who had 909,688 votes, or 50.56 percent of the vote. Watson's total Wednesday morning was 892,058, or 46.88 percent. Action Party candidate Gerald F. Kilpatrick won 48,581, or 2.84 percent.

Polis declares early

Democrat multi-millionaire Congressman Jared Polis was first to declare victory, in the Colorado Governor's race, by 8 p.m. Polis was ahead in early returns with 51.34 percent of the vote.

By Wednesday morning, with 100 percent of counties reporting, Polis had gained 998,916 votes, or 51.58 percent of the vote. Republican Walker Stapleton was the second top vote-getter with 870,844 votes, or 44.97 percent. Libertarian Scott Helker and Unity Party's Bill Hammons received 48,188 2.49 percent) and 18,499 (0.96 percent) votes respectively.

"In Colorado, we dare, we dream and we do," Polis said in his victory speech. "Whether it's embracing big ideas or hiking our amazing mountains, we don't back down when something is challenging. We see problems as opportunities in our state of Colorado."

Polis will be the first Jewish governor of Colorado and the first openly gay governor in the United States. His partner, Marlon Reis, and their two children joined Polis on stage.

The race was financially lopsided from the beginning, with Polis dumping $23 million of his own funds into what was to become a total of $200 million spent on the election. Polis refused any individual donation above $100 and has brought in only about half-a-million from individual donations. Stapleton’s campaign spent about $4 million, as of the most recent campaign finance disclosures. The two-term treasurer dumped about $1 million of his own cash into the race during the Republican primary race.

Other statewide races

Secretary of State

Democrat voting rights attorney and first-time candidate Jena Griswold declared victory over incumbent Republican Wayne Williams for Secretary of State. With 32 percent of counties reporting, Williams conceded the race around 9:40 p.m.

Wednesday morning, Griswold had gained 974,233 votes, or 50.87 percent to Williams's 896,366 votes, or 46.80 percent. Third-party candidates Amanda Campbell and Blake Huber won 35,875 votes (1.87 percent) and 8,732 votes (0.46 percent), respectively.

LITTLETON RACES:

Colorado 1st Congressional District

Ten-term Congresswoman Diana DeGette, House Chief Deputy Whip, was easily the top vote-getter with 147,329, or 71.57 percent of the vote compared to Republican Casper Stockham and Librtarian Raymon Doan with 53,382 (29.53 percent) and 5,135 (2.49 percent) respectively. DeGette was first elected in 1997 to the seat formerly held by groundbreaking female Colorado Congresswoman Pat Schroeder.

Colorado’s 6th Congressional District

Democrat Jason Crow declared victory in Colorado's 6th Congressional District against five-term Republican incumbent Mike Coffman.

The race was closely watched as a bellwether to see if a so-called "blue wave" election would bring Democrats into a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives –which is what happened.

Crow called for unity and change after a race that was as much about the Republican leadership in the White House as in Colorado.

"We set out with a goal to bring new leadership to the country and move us forward again. It was a bold idea for someone who had never run for office before," Crow said to a crowd at a Greenwood Village hotel. "Today, we achieved it."

On Wednesday morning with 100 percent of counties reporting, Crow had a commanding lead of 151,239 votes, or 53.12 percent to Coffman's 125,963 votes, or 44.24 percent. Libertarian Kat Martin and UAF party's Dan Chapin gained 4,114 (1.45 percent) and 3,383 (1.19 percent) respectively.

Crow campaigned heavily in the Republican areas of the district in suburban Douglas County, talking to suburbanites, especially women in Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch and Centennial. Crow, as part of a national Democratic strategy, tried to drive a wedge into these traditionally Republican areas by holding town halls talking about gun control, school violence and his own children.

Coffman, known for his constituent services and support for immigrants rights–in the face of President Donald Trump – had faced tough challengers before. Coffman had previously beaten well-funded Democrats in his district with large immigrant populations which wraps to the east around Denver through Aurora and into Littleton. But this time, Democrats managed to break Coffman's hold on the district.

Coffman saw support evaporate from national Republican funding organizations late in the campaign when the national GOP clawed back $1 million in promised television ad support in late October.

Suburban State Senate Races: Democrats Flip the Legislature

This election, Colorado Democrats had their eyes on gaining a majority in the State Senate, where the Republicans had a one-member majority. Swing districts in metro-Denver ran savvy female Democrats against incumbents, or in open races.

State Sen. Dist. 16

In State Sen. Dist. 16, Tammy Story beat incumbent Republican Tim Neville. Story had a wide lead with 35,061 votes or 55.34 percent of the vote. Neville had received 26,668 votes, or 42.09 percent. Libertarian James Gillman won 1,629 or 2.57 percent of the votes.

Story, an education reformer and mother from Conifer, helped recall three members on the Jefferson County school board after a divisive debate over conservative school policies.

Other Littleton results:

Candidates running in the Littleton area are metro-Denver's most reliable Republican-leaning areas, which include parts of Douglas and Arapahoe Counties.

State Sen. Dist. 30 - GOP Senate Majority Leader Chris Holbert re-elected

Incumbent Republican Senate Majority Leader small businessman Chris Holbert, of Parker was top vote-getter with 37,916 votes, or 53.25 percent. Holbert beat Democrat retired aerospace engineer Julia Varnell-Sarjeant, of Highlands Ranch and Independent Steve Peterson, who got 29,439 (41.35 percent) and 3,848 (5.40 percent) votes respectively. Holbert was elected to the House in 2010, where he served for four years. He was then elected to the Senate in 2014. He became Senate Majority Leader in 2016.

State House Dist. 3 Incumbent Democrat Jeff Bridges re-elected.

Incumbent Democrat Jeff Bridges was the top vote-getter with 19,068 votes cast, or 60.28 percent against GOP first-time Republican candidate, healthcare CEO Toren Mushovic who received 12,567 votes, or 39.72 percent.

State House Dist. 22 (Open) GOP Coffee shop owner Larson wins.

Republican coffee shop owner Colin Larson, was top vote-getter with 17,247 votes (53.40 percent) against Democrat Todd Kastetter, who received 15,049 votes or 46.60 percent. This GOP-leaning seat was left vacant when Littleton's Justin Everett, tried, but failed, to win a three-way race for GOP nomination for state treasurer.

State House Dist. 25 (Open) Democrat Cutter wins.

Democrat and professional publicist Lisa A Cutter won in Dist. 25, receiving a total of 20,016 votes (52.51 percent) against Republican pinch-hitter Steve Szutenbach, of Evergreen, who got 18,100 votes, or 47.49 percent.

State House Dist. 38 - GOP Incumbent Beckman ahead by 590 votes over Democrat Chris Kolker.

In State House District 38, Republican incumbent Susan Beckman was ahead with 20,463 votes, or 50.73 percent of the vote. She was up by 590 votes over challenger Democrat Chris Kolker, who got 19,873 votes, or 49.27 percent.

Littleton and regional ballot initiatives

FOR INCLUSION - South Metro Fire Rescue Ballot Question (Ballot Question 7B)

Charter Amendments Ballot Questions

NO - 3A “Shall Sections 23 and 29 of the Littleton City Charter concerning council membership qualifications and rules be combined into one section and remove language pertaining to judicial review, which is a right that independently exists pursuant to court rules?”

NO - 3B “Shall Sections 54, 55, and 57 of the Littleton City Charter concerning city attorney appointment, duties and special counsel be amended by placing all into one section of the charter, removing qualification language that is more appropriate in the city code and clarifying special counsel appointment, and deleting Section 56 regarding lawsuits?”

NO 3C - “Shall Section 58 of the Littleton City Charter concerning the establishment, appointment, qualifications, term, etc. of the municipal court judge be amended to include the term ‘presiding judge’ and for appointment of associate judges by the presiding judge?”

NO 3D - “Shall Sections 117 and 118 of the Littleton City Charter concerning revocable licenses and permits be combined into one section and give city council authority to delegate the city manager to grant revocable licenses?”

YES 3E -“Shall Section 27 of the Littleton City Charter be amended concerning meetings and providing for executive sessions to consider items confidential under state and federal rules; provide instructions on buying and selling property; consider appointment, evaluation and discipline of the City Manager, City Attorney and Presiding Municipal Judge; to receiving legal advice from the city’s attorneys on legal issues and to require all formal action occur in an open public session of the council?”

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