As blue wave washes over Colorado, Dem tide keeps on rising in Eagle County

As Republicans in Colorado raged against furries, abortion rights, climate change spending and democracy, Democrats crashed over them in a blue wave that saw double-digit wins in the governor’s race, U.S. Senate, both chambers of the state legislature and on down the ballot.

The same was true in Eagle County, where Jeanne McQueeney was winning the county commissioner’s race 61.1% to 38.8% in preliminary results at 10 p.m. The only countywide elected Republican, Sheriff James van Beek, was up 76.1% to 23.8% over Unaffiliated Paul Agneberg. Democrats did not put forward a candidate.

The two big Eagle County ballot questions — 1A for a lodging tax to support affordable housing and childcare and 1B for a regional transportation authority — both appeared headed to victory.

With an estimated 97% of the vote in, Democratic state Rep. Dylan Roberts of Avon was up on Eagle Republican Matt Solomon by 56.8% to 43.1% in state Senate District 8, with Democrats poised to expand their state Senate majority. Eagle County voters favored Roberts over Solomon 62.6% to 37.3%.

With an estimated 99% of the vote in, Democrat Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs was beating Republican Savannah Wolfson by a margin of 56.3% to 46.3% in House District 26, which includes most of Eagle County. Those voters favored Lukens 61.8% to 38.1% locally, and Democrats are now poised to significantly increase their state House majority.

Eagle County voters also supported Democratic statewide candidates who won by huge margins.

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis was trouncing Republican challenger and CU Regent Heidi Ganahl by a whopping 58.9% to 39.1% statewide, with Eagle County voters going even bigger for Polis by a margin of 68.9% to 29.7%.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet was set to earn a third term by a margin of 56% to 41.6% over newcomer politician and construction company owner Joe O’Dea, but in Eagle County that margin was an even more robust 63.3% to 34.8%.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose 2nd Congressional District includes most of Eagle County, was winning districtwide by a margin of 70.2% to 27.9% over Republican Marshall Dawson. That margin was smaller in Eagle County, just 62.2% to 36%.

In what would be a massive upset and a major national story, Democratic Aspen businessman Adam Frisch was leading controversial Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert by a margin of 51.3% to 48.6% with an estimated 92% of the vote counted as of Tuesday night.

In the southwestern corner of Eagle County near Aspen that’s still represented by Boebert, Frisch was leading 72.1% to 27.8%, but the race will be decided by voters in the district’s major population centers of Grand Junction and Pueblo. Boebert’s campaign recently declined to say it will accept the results of the election if she loses.

The blue trend continued on down the ballot in Colorado, with Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser holding about a 10% edge over Republican District Attorney John Kellner, but a much wider 61.9% to 36% margin in Eagle County.

Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold appeared poised to beat Republican Pam Anderson statewide with about 55% of the vote and a 62.5% to 35.2% margin in Eagle County.

Every single candidate and ballot issue endorsed by RealVail.com, with the possible exception of Frisch, looked headed to victory late Tuesday night.