2018 Midterm Election Results
The 2018 midterms made history last night in many areas across the nation. With record voter turnout in Colorado, including a high early voting rate and a large youth voter population, it was clear Americans cared about the future of their country. Nationally, Democrats gained control of the House while Republicans gained control of the Senate. More women were elected this year, along with more diversity in racial ethnicity and sexual orientation.
A CBS exit poll showed that 2/3 of voters said they voted to send a message to President Donald Trump. Results across the nation also show that Democrats up for re-election were not as likely to win after voting against the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Democrats’ top voter issue was health care while Republicans were concerned with immigration. Overall, Democrats led the election over Republicans in minorities, young voters, and women voters.
At this time, not all of the votes have been counted. Some of the results below have been confirmed while others are projections. Here are some of the midterm results at this time:
Colorado:
Governor: Jared Polis (D) – Polis is the first openly-gay governor in the nation. He promises to improve access to healthcare, increase renewable energy in the state, and improve Colorado education, including working towards free full day preschool and kindergarten.
6th Congressional District (U.S. House Representative): Jason Crow (D) – This is Crow’s first time in office, beating out Mike Coffman’s multi-term run in the House of Representatives. Crow is also a decorated veteran.
Other Races in the State:
Secretary of State: Jena Griswold (D) – First women elected to this office in 60 years.
Attorney General: Phil Weiser (D)
State Treasurer: Dave Young (D)
Colorado 2nd Congressional District: Joseph Neguse (D) – Neguse is the first black Congressman from Colorado. He fills the seat left open by Jared Polis.
Amendments and Propositions:
Amendment A: Passes. Slavery can no longer be used as punishment for a crime in Colorado.
Prop 112: Did not pass. Oil and gas development restrictions will remain at 500-1,000 ft.
Amendment 73: Did not pass. Education Funding through income tax of people with annual salary above $150,000 will not be effective.
Measure 4A: Passes. Littleton Public School voters approved this multi-million dollar bond to improve a variety of aspects in the district, including the rebuilding and re-purposing of schools.
National Races of Interest:
The Georgia Governor race is still too close to call. Currently Brian Kemp (R) leads Stacy Abrams (D), but a winner has yet to be declared. If elected, Abrams would be the nation’s first black female governor.
Texas Senate Race: Ted Cruz (R) defeated Democrat Beto O’Rourke in this highly watched race. Cruz is the projected winner with 50.9% of the vote and O’Rourke lost with a very close 48.3%.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York)(D) – Youngest female elected to congress in the nation at age 29
Marsha Blackburn (R) – First Female Senator in Tennessee
Joe Manchin (D) – Won re-election in West Virginia after being the only Democrat to vote for the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Other Democrats up for re-election lost in their respected states after voting against Kavanaugh.
Florida: Ron DeSantis (R) beat Democrat Andrew Gillum by less than 60,000 votes. Gillum would have been the first black governor in the state. A recount for the senate race between Rick Scott (R) and Bill Nelson (D) may be in order in this close race. Rick Scott has been prematurely claiming victory. Future elections in this swing state may look different as voters restored voting rights for former felons after serving their time.
Ilhan Omar (Minnesota)(D) – The nation’s first Muslim and Somali-American elected into Congress
Sharice Davids (D; Kansas) and Deb Haaland (D; New Mexico) are the nation’s first Native American women elected into Congress. Davids is also Kansas’ first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Kansas.
Whatever your political views may be, history was made on both sides of the spectrum. Remember to continue to vote in future elections and be the change you wish to see.
Ashley is a senior at Arapahoe and this is her fourth and final year on the Spear/Xtra staff, and she is thrilled to be the Editor-in-Chief. She is also...
