CO-07 House winner?

Colorado, once a reliable Republican state, has leaned decidedly Democratic in recent cycles, and 2026 looks similar. Gov. Phil Weiser and Sen. John Hickenlooper are favored for easy wins over underfunded Republican opponents Victor Marx and Mark Baisley, with some GOP figures, including former Rep. Ken Buck, crossing over to back Weiser. The closest races are in the U.S. House: Democrat Manny Rutinel is seen as favored over Republican incumbent Gabe Evans in District 8, while Republican incumbent Jeff Crank is expected to hold District 5 against well-funded Democrat Jessica Killin despite backlash over the Space Command relocation. Analysts attribute the overall Democratic advantage to anti-Trump sentiment and weak Republican statewide recruitment.

Colorado's congressional delegation is voicing growing concern over artificial intelligence, though members diverge on how—or whether—Washington should respond. Rep. Brittany Pettersen called for stronger industry standards, including independent audits and mandatory incident reporting. Sen. John Hickenlooper, who co-introduced bipartisan legislation on AI testing standards, warned the country is "entering a new and dangerous era" and urged the White House to address the technology's risks. Rep. Jason Crow echoed concerns about privacy and national security.

Sen. Michael Bennet argued Congress "will never be able to move fast enough" to regulate AI directly and instead proposed creating an independent federal agency for oversight. Republicans showed a different emphasis: Rep. Gabe Evans backed "common sense guardrails" and helped pass a House bill targeting AI data center costs, while also promoting American-made AI models over foreign competitors. Rep. Jeff Crank called for safety nets from AI companies themselves. The mixed responses highlight an unresolved national debate over federal AI oversight, with implications for markets tracking regulatory timelines and outcomes.

Candidates running for Colorado's 1st Congressional District responded to a Denver Post questionnaire covering cost of living, energy policy, congressional oversight of the Trump administration, and immigration. Responses revealed sharp divides: some candidates called for Medicare for All, a moratorium on new fossil fuel leasing on federal lands, a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and stronger congressional oversight of executive power, spending, and military actions. Others backed the Trump administration's agenda, supporting expanded oil and gas extraction on public lands, cooperation between local jurisdictions and federal immigration enforcement, and opposition to "sanctuary" policies.

A libertarian-leaning candidate called for auditing the Federal Reserve, ending corporate bailouts, returning land-use decisions to state control, and reclaiming congressional war powers, while criticizing both major parties for enabling executive overreach. A physician-candidate emphasized healthcare affordability, housing supply increases, protection of public lands for recreation and conservation, and a secure border paired with fast-tracked legal status for long-term residents. One candidate did not respond to the questionnaire.

A candidate for Adams County Commissioner District 3, based in Westminster and holding degrees in political science, philosophy, and law, has outlined top campaign priorities centered on economic opportunity, housing affordability, and preserving Colorado's quality of life. The candidate emphasized creating pathways to the middle class through job growth, workforce development, and economic mobility, alongside expanding housing supply and supporting attainable homeownership so families can remain in the communities where they work.

On collaboration with state and city governments, the candidate pointed to federal funding cuts affecting programs like the EPA, Medicare, and Medicaid as a reason for closer coordination with the State of Colorado to preserve resources and stabilize local communities. The candidate also stressed protecting parks, open spaces, and clean air and water as part of safeguarding Colorado's broader way of life amid growth and cost-of-living pressures facing county residents.