2022 Colorado Senate election

Not to be confused with 2022 United States Senate election in Colorado.

2022 Colorado State Senate election
← 2020 November 8, 2022 2024 →
17 of the 35 seats in the Colorado Senate
18 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Steve Fenberg John Cooke
(term-limited)
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat District 18 District 13
Last election 20 15
Seats before 21 14
Seats won 23 12
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 587,511 602,095
Percentage 49.05% 50.27%
Seats up 9 8
Races won 11 6
Results:
     Democratic gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     No election
President of the Senate before election

Steve Fenberg
Democratic

Elected President of the Senate

Steve Fenberg
Democratic

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The 2022 Colorado Senate elections took place on November 8, 2022, along with elections in the State House of Representatives, with the primary elections held on June 28, 2022.[1] Voters in 17 out of the 35 districts of the Colorado Senate elected their representative for a four-year term.[2] It coincided with other Colorado elections of the same year and the biennial United States elections.

Democrats gained two seats increasing their majority to 23 out of 35 seats, with one seat shy of an outright supermajority.[3] Despite winning a majority of the votes cast, the Republican Party only won 6 of the 17 seats up for election.

Background[edit]

In the previous state Senate election (2020), the Democrats increased their majority to 5 seats. In August 2022, Republican Sen. Kevin Priola announced he was changing his party affiliation to Democratic.[4] Therefore, for Democrats to lose their absolute majority in the Senate in this election, Republicans and other parties would need to gain at least 4 more seats.

This will be the first election with the districts drawn based on the 2020 census.[5] Due to this, some districts do not have incumbents, as they chose to run in other districts that are not up for election in 2022.

Incumbents not seeking re-election[edit]

One Democratic and four Republican incumbents are term-limited and prohibited from seeking a consecutive third term. Under the laws for the state Senate, for terms to be considered non-consecutive, there needs to be a gap of at least 4 years between them.[2]

Democrats[edit]

Republicans[edit]

Predictions[edit]

Source Ranking As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] Likely D May 19, 2022

Results[edit]

Popular vote
Republican
 
 50.27%
Democratic
 
 49.06%
Other
 
 0.67%
Senate seats
Democratic
 
 65.71%
Republican
 
 34.29%
District Incumbent Party Elected Party
1 Jerry Sonnenberg† Rep Byron Pelton Rep
3 Nick Hinrichsen Dem Nick Hinrichsen Dem
4 Jim Smallwood Rep Mark Baisley Rep
7 Ray Scott† Rep Janice Rich Rep
8 Bob Rankin Rep Dylan Roberts Dem
9 Paul Lundeen Rep Paul Lundeen Rep
11 Pete Lee† Dem Tony Exum Dem
Dennis Hisey Rep
15 Rob Woodward Rep Janice Marchman Dem
20 Rachael Zenzinger Dem Lisa A. Cutter Dem
22 Jessie Danielson Dem Jessie Danielson Dem
Brittany Pettersen†
24 No incumbent Kyle Mullica Dem
25 Faith Winter Dem Faith Winter Dem
27 Chris Kolker Dem Tom Sullivan Dem
30 Kevin Van Winkle Rep Kevin Van Winkle Rep
32 Robert Rodriguez Dem Robert Rodriguez Dem
34 Julie Gonzales Dem Julie Gonzales Dem
35 Cleave Simpson Rep Rod Pelton Rep

† - Incumbent not seeking re-election

Italics - Incumbent redistricted to different district

Bold - gain

Closest races[edit]

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 15, 1.2% gain
  2. District 3, 2.58%
  3. District 11, 5.46% gain
  4. District 30, 7.64%
  5. District 27, 9.78%

Detailed results[edit]

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 16 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34

District 1[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Pelton 23,142 100.0
Total votes 23,142 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 1st District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron Pelton 53,199 100%
Total votes 53,199 100%
Republican hold

District 3[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Hinrichsen (incumbent) 15,560 100.0
Total votes 15,560 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephen Varela 13,130 100.0
Total votes 13,130 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 3rd District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nick Hinrichsen (incumbent) 33,795 51.29%
Republican Stephen Varela 32,090 48.71%
Total votes 65,885 100%
Democratic hold

District 4[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jeff Ravage 13,811 100.0
Total votes 13,811 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Baisley 26,887 100.0
Total votes 26,887 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 4th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Baisley 55,595 60.84%
Democratic Jeff Ravage 35,789 39.16%
Total votes 91,384 100%
Republican hold

District 7[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Janice Rich 28,026 100.0
Total votes 28,026 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic David Stahlke 8,694 100.0
Total votes 8,694 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 7th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Janice Rich 52,696 70.06%
Democratic David Stahlke 22,520 29.94%
Total votes 75,216 100%
Republican hold

District 8[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Matt Solomon 13,492 100.0
Total votes 13,492 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dylan Roberts 12,661 100.0
Total votes 12,661 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 8th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dylan Roberts 40,765 55.70
Republican Matt Solomon 32,427 44.30
Total votes 73,192 100.00%

District 9[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Arik Dougherty 10,968 100.0
Total votes 10,968 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Lundeen (incumbent) 15,385 69.7
Republican Lynda Zamora Wilson 6,675 30.3
Total votes 22,060 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 9th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Lundeen (incumbent) 50,266 62.31
Democratic Arik Dougherty 28,327 35.12
Libertarian Stephen Darnell 2,075 2.57
Total votes 80,668 100.00%

District 11[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tony Exum 3,990 54.6
Democratic Yolanda L. Avila 3,318 45.4
Total votes 7,308 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dennis Hisey (incumbent) 8,946 100.0
Total votes 8,946 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 11th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tony Exum 20,258 49.94
Republican Dennis Hisey (incumbent) 18,042 44.48
Libertarian Daryl Kuiper 2,264 5.58
Total votes 40,564 100.00

District 15[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janice Marchman 16,593 100.0
Total votes 16,593 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rob Woodward (incumbent) 19,942 100.0
Total votes 19,942 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 15th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rob Woodward (incumbent) 42,054 49.4
Democratic Janice Marchman 43,068 50.6
Total votes 85,122 100

District 20[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lisa Cutter 17,450 100.0
Total votes 17,450 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Walsh 17,691 100.0
Total votes 17,691 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 20th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lisa Cutter
Republican Tim Walsh
Total votes

District 22[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jessie Danielson (incumbent) 16,478 100.0
Total votes 16,478 100.0
Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Colby Drechsel 10,257 100.0
Total votes 10,257 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 22nd District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jessie Danielson (incumbent)
Republican Colby Drechsel
Total votes

District 24[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Courtney Potter 9,642 100.0
Total votes 9,642 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kyle Mullica 11,499 100.0
Total votes 11,499 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 24th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kyle Mullica
Republican Courtney Potter
Total votes

District 25[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melody Peotter 12,038 100.0
Total votes 12,038 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Faith Winter (incumbent) 16,842 100.0
Total votes 16,842 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 25th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Faith Winter (incumbent) 43,435 61.49
Republican Melody Peotter 23,207 38.51
Total votes 66,642 100.0

District 27[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Kim 8,129 70.2
Republican JulieMarie A. Shepherd Macklin 3,447 29.8
Total votes 11,576 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Sullivan 13,209 100.0
Total votes 13,209 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 27th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Sullivan
Republican Tom Kim
Total votes

District 30[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kevin Van Winkle (incumbent) 19,925 100.0
Total votes 19,925 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Braeden Miguel 13,290 100.0
Total votes 13,290 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 30th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kevin Van Winkle (incumbent)
Democratic Braeden Miguel
Total votes

District 32[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dean Flanders 5,520 100.0
Total votes 5,520 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Rodriguez (incumbent) 18,157 100.0
Total votes 18,157 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 32nd District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Rodriguez (incumbent)
Republican Dean Flanders
Total votes

District 34[edit]

Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Julie Gonzales (incumbent) 17,279 100.0
Total votes 17,279 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 34th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Julie Gonzales (incumbent) 100.0
Total votes 100.0

District 35[edit]

Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rod Pelton 29,062 100.0
Total votes 29,062 100.0
Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Nelson 8,691 100.0
Total votes 8,691 100.0
2022 Colorado Senate election, 35th District
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Travis Nelson
Republican Rod Pelton
Total votes

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2022 Election Calendar" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State.
  2. ^ a b "Senate Term Limits". Colorado General Assembly.
  3. ^ "Colorado's Democratic supermajority talks spending before session starts". KUSA.com. January 4, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Edwards, Jonathan (August 23, 2022). "After decades in GOP, Colo. senator says: 'We need Democrats in charge'". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  5. ^ Verlee, Megan (November 15, 2021). "Colorado officially has new state legislative maps". CPR News. Colorado Public Radio.
  6. ^ Jacobson, Louis (May 19, 2022). "The Battle for State Legislatures". Retrieved May 19, 2022.
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