Colorado Governor Weighs In On The ‘Secret’ For Why State Drifted Left As Rest of Country Moved Right On Election Night

Alex GriffingNov 7th, 2024, 5:40 pm

FILE - Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivers his State of the State address to lawmakers assembled in the House of Representatives chamber in the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, in Denver. Colorado’s governor signed four gun control bills Friday, April 28, 2023, edging the once-purple state closer to liberal-leaning governments in California and New York just months after a shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, the latest in the state’s long history of notorious massacres.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) replied to social media users after Donald Trump’s resounding defeat of Kamala Harris who were asking him what was the “secret” in the state that kept voters from shifting right.

Journalist Matthew Zeitlin shared an image of the Washington Post’s map showing shifts in U.S. counties left and right and commented, “colorado is so amazing, just libbing out in the mountains, completely unconcerned with national political shifts.” Another X user replied to Zeitlin and asked Polis what is the “secret” in Colorado.

colorado is so amazing, just libbing out in the mountains, completely unconerned with national political shifts https://t.co/4R1tTL0CYz

— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) November 6, 2024

Polis replied and wrote, “Prosperity and abundance agenda. We have focused on saving people money through three income tax rate reductions (two at the ballot box and one through the leg: 4.63%>4.5%>4.4%>4.25%), cutting property taxes, free preschool and kindergarten for every child, eliminating sales tax on necessities like diapers and feminine hygiene products, and we are in the process of delivering on pro-housing supply solutions, investing in transit and transit-enhanced living opportunities… all while protecting and expanding personal freedom and respect for everyone.”

Prosperity and abundance agenda. We have focused on saving people money through three income tax rate reductions (two at the ballot box and one through the leg: 4.63%>4.5%>4.4%>4.25%), cutting property taxes, free preschool and kindergarten for every child, eliminating sales tax… https://t.co/QXPF6KygDn

— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) November 6, 2024

Polis won reelection in 2022 and helped to cement the shift in the state from toss-up to squarely in the Democratic column with a landslide, near 20-point victory.

He also congratulated Donald Trump on his win on Tuesday over Kamala Harris writing, “Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump. Colorado remains strongly committed to protecting freedom, choice, and the opportunity for everyone to build the life they want in our great state. That is true no matter who is serving in the White House and I will work with the President-elect however I can to save people money, create more good-paying jobs, increase access to housing Coloradans can afford, protect our water and air quality, and improve our roads and bridges.”

“I hope President-elect Trump and Vice-President-Elect Vance take this opportunity to try to unite our country and set aside the campaign’s divisive rhetoric. No matter what, the Free State of Colorado will remain a beacon that reflects the values of economic liberty and personal liberty that this country was built on, and we will do everything in our power to protect all Coloradans and our freedoms,” Polis wrote, adding, “We also thank Vice-President Kamala Harris for running a strong, historic and issues-based campaign and appreciate her service to our country.” Trump repeatedly attacked Polis during the 2024 election season and falsely accused him of letting violent migrant gangs take over the state.