Colorado and Denver Democrats had a few things to celebrate on Tuesday night— at least within the state’s borders.
Voters approved of many liberal candidates and policies on this year’s ballot. Democrats improved on their 2020 performance across much of the state. Rep. Yadira Caraveo held a narrow lead in the competitive Congressional race north of Denver.
And yet the mood at the Colorado Democratic Party watch party in Denver was frantic and nervous. Eyes were glued to television screens, watching as state after state, battleground after battleground, started to turn red in the presidential and U.S. Senate elections.
A parade of influential Democrats struggled to keep attendees’ spirits up, even as former President Donald Trump made gains over Vice President Kamala Harris nationwide.
"I know [a Harris victory] will happen because you can see it here,” said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, who won yet another reelection campaign, speaking earlier in the night. “We have the best ground game of either campaign, the best ground game I've seen in my many years in Congress.”
That messaging continued throughout the night, from voices like Rep. Jason Crow and Sen. Michael Bennet. But it got harder to stomach for attendees. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, one of the last speakers of the night, struggled to maintain the crowd’s attention.
“Let me do a teacher trick on you,” he said. “Clap once if you can hear me. Clap twice if you can hear me. If you can hear me clap three times.”
The Associated Press hadn’t yet called the race as of 11:30 p.m., but The New York Times projected a greater than 95 percent chance of a Trump victory.
As the party wound down, Democrats struggled to keep the faith
The hosts wrapped up the party close to 10:00 p.m., but straggling partygoers stayed behind at the bar to drown their growing sorrows.
Jennifer Ramos, a lifelong Coloradan, had just ordered a drink and was deciding what to do with the rest of her night. She worried that Democratic politicians were ignoring the reality of the situation.
“I think we did that in 2016 and I don’t know, I might just be a pessimist,” she said. “I don't know if we're ignoring the problem.”
Standing alone, tensely watching polling numbers on a TV screen, Denver resident Brandon Gipko was losing faith that Harris could win.
“It’s not too confidence inspiring at this point,” Gipko said. “But there is still a long way to go. I’m hoping to see the end of the election, and just for this to be over.”
The health of the nation’s democracy was heavy on attendees’ minds.
“If things don't go our way tomorrow, we will start reorganizing for democracy, we will start reorganizing. Immediately,” said Frank Plageman, a party attendee. Still, he and others took solace in the passage of amendments to enshrine same-sex marriage and reproductive rights in the state constitution.
“We are celebrating reproductive justice tonight. We know that our community wants access to abortion rights and reproductive rights, and we are so happy that Amendment 79 passed,” Liliana Salcido, a member of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR).
A Republican party in Aurora was a mirror image.
At JJ’s Place in Aurora, conservatives celebrated national victories even as they faced an uphill battle in Colorado.
“Things may have not gone as perfect for everyone in Colorado as far as we know right now, but we are positive,” said Valdamar Archuleta, the Republican who challenged Rep. Diana DeGette, the Democratic incumbent in Denver.
Archuleta had about 20 percent of the vote, losing by a wide margin in a Democratic stronghold. He said the campaign “moved the needle,” locally.
“We've started conversations in the city. People are noticing who we are and noticing that there are Republicans in cities like Aurora and Denver who are speaking up and who are becoming involved in politics and being part of the conversation, the culture and the movement,” Archuleta said. “And so, it's a good night. We're happy.”
CPR’s Tony Gorman contributed to this article.
