Why AP called Colorado Senate race for Michael Bennet

By MEG KINNARDNovember 9, 2022 GMT

Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet speaks during a debate with Republican challenger Joe O'Dea, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

WASHINGTON (AP) — WHY AP CALLED COLORADO FOR MICHAEL BENNET

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet was drawing in higher numbers of votes in many areas than he did during his 2016 campaign — by a margin of as many as 10 percentage points.

That’s what led AP to call the race for the Democratic incumbent on Tuesday over Republican challenger Joe O’Dea.

O’Dea, a first-time candidate, focused his campaign on crime and inflation.

But his position as the rare Republican who backs some abortion rights carved out for O’Dea a unique position. Republicans saw O’Dea as one of their best recruits, although GOP-aligned PACs were slow to spend money on his behalf.

Colorado has been shifting toward Democrats in recent elections, thanks in part to an influx of college-educated voters in the expanding Denver metropolitan area.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

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