WASHINGTON — A Democratic wave on Tuesday surged across much of the nation and upended Colorado politics.
Democrats next year will occupy seven of the state’s nine U.S. Congress seats, on top of already controlling the governor’s office and the General Assembly.
Just five years ago, Republicans had power over both of those and held seven of the nine U.S. Congress seats.
“It’s a stunning turnaround,” said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Dem ocrat re-elected to her seventh term.
Democratic victories in both Colorado and the nation came amid a faltering U.S. economy, the lingering Iraq war and record disapproval ratings for President Bush. Voters, several political analysts said, wanted a change from Bush policies on taxes, deregulation, and foreign policy.
“The sheer unpopularity of President Bush is very damaging to the (Republican) party,” said Julian Zelizer, Princeton University professor. “You can’t underestimate that.”
Democrats also out-organized and out-maneuvered Republicans. On the national level, Democrats through Sunday had spent more than $1 million in 38 House races, while Republicans spent more than $1 million in just four, said David W. Rohde, Duke University political science professor.
Democratic leaders recruited good candidates while Republican ones did not, Rohde said. That was partly because of the political climate, he said. Democrats sensed victory and were eager to run while many Republicans held back, wanting a year with a better chance of winning.
In Colorado, Senate candidate Bob Schaffer “was kind of a B-list Republican,” said Scott Adler, University of Colorado political science professor.
Republicans in Colorado pointed to other GOP mistakes.
“I have gone to a few Republican campaign events, and you don’t see a brown face or a black face in the crowd,” said former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Republican who retired in 2004.
“The Republican Party, they are not inclusive,” Campbell said.
He would not say which candidate campaigns he attended, but offered, “the last couple of statewide races.”
Republican Tom Tancredo, who is retiring from his 6th Congressional District seat, credited gains to Democratic activists Jared Polis, Pat Stry ker, Rutt Bridges and Tim Gill. The foursome poured millions of dollars into Colorado races, Tancredo said, often through advocacy groups. They targeted vulnerable Republicans. At the same time, he said, they put forward ballot issues that drained Republican resources.
“And it was absolutely brilliant,” Tancredo said.
Polis, just elected to Congress, left the alliance run by the other three in 2004.
Gains made by Democrats in Colorado and other states appear to validate Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean’s campaign strategy, Princeton University professor Zelizer said. Dean insisted on building the party in all 50 states, instead of just those where Democrats had been strong.
“That’s how you make a realignment because that’s harder to undo in one election cycle,” Zelizer said.
This year’s election has parallels to 1974, after Nixon had resigned, said Adler of the University of Colorado. Democrats gained 49 House seats that year.
Of course, the Reagan revolution followed just six years later, Adler said.
“It may suggest that the gains made by Democrats (this year) may not be long-lasting,” Adler said.
To succeed long-term, Democrats should throw out the old political paradigms about left, right and center and come up with new solutions to the problems facing the country, said former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart.
“What Democrats now have a chance to do is define the future,” Hart said. If that’s done right, he said, “They can be a power for three decades or more.”
Anne C. Mulkern: 202-662-8907 or amulkern@denverpost.com
