Few states have undergone as rapid a political transformation as Colorado, notes the L.A. Times.
As recently as 2004, the Centennial State’s nine electoral votes were written off by Democrats. Back then, Republicans had carried the state in eight of the previous nine presidential contests and the state was considered out of reach for the progressive party. Times have changed. Obama won Colorado twice. And now it’s Republicans who are having to make a case for Donald Trump in the state.
So, what changed? For one thing, Latino voters have gained power in the state. Also, there’s the population boom. Last year, more than 100,000 people moved to Colorado. And many of them were members of traditionally liberal demographics, such as tech-industry workers, marijuana enthusiasts, and those attracted to the state’s health-driven outdoor lifestyle. Perhaps most troubling for the Trump camp, many traditionally Republican suburban white women are switching sides due to Trump’s controversial statements about women.