🚨RATING CHANGE🚨: Sabato’s Crystal Ball Moves Colorado Senate Further Toward Hickenlooper, Now “Likely Democratic”

Cook Political Report moved the Colorado Senate race toward Hickenlooper last week, saying Gardner’s decision on SCOTUS may well “seal his fate”

Republican Strategist: Gardner’s change of heart on the Supreme Court is especially clear-cut and damning

Denver, CO - This morning Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the Colorado Senate race even further in favor of John Hickenlooper from “Leans Democratic” to “Likely Democratic.” Sabato’s rating change comes just a week after Cook Political Report shifted their rating in favor of Hickenlooper and a month after Politico moved their rating against Senator Cory Gardner as Hickenlooper “is consistently ahead of first-term GOP Sen. Cory Gardner.”

Gardner’s recent cave to President Trump’s pressure and “flip-flop” on his own 2016 commitment — pledging to rush through the anti-ACA and anti-choice Supreme Court nominee days before Coloradans start voting -- hasn’t done him any favors. The Crystal Ball says that the high stakes for Roe v. Wade and the Affordable Care Act make Gardner’s path even more unlikely:

The looming Supreme Court confirmation battle could also limit Gardner’s crossover appeal. Though it appears he’ll support Trump’s nominee, judge Amy Coney Barrett, Democrats have worked to define her as an opponent of abortion rights and of the Affordable Care Act. In 2014, Democrats probably overplayed the abortion issue against Gardner — then-Sen. Mark Udall (D) hammered Gardner’s pro-life stances ad nauseam. But with a 6-3 conservative court looking more like a reality, Udall’s former attacks may now seem less abstract. Even before the court vacancy, Gardner’s opposition to the ACA seemed to be hurting his electoral standing. So the coverage of the court hearings may emphasize two issues where Republicans are out of step with the Colorado electorate. This pushes our rating to Likely Democratic and emphasizes, in our ratings, that Gardner is clearly the most vulnerable Republican senator.

Even Republican strategists agree, saying that unaffiliated voters — who make up more than 40% of Colorado’s electorate — “don’t like any whiff of partisanship” and “Gardner’s change of heart on the Supreme Court is especially clear-cut and damning.”

The rating changes don’t come as a surprise, as poll after poll shows Gardner underwater or trailing Hickenlooper — most recently by 10 points — and Coloradans overwhelmingly believe Gardner is deceptive and prioritizes his loyalty to President Trump and his special interest donors ahead of standing up for our state. 

For more on how Gardner has failed Coloradans check out CoryFailedColorado.com.

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