The Downballot The big Colorado redistricting surprise
Feb 19, 2026
A surprise Democratic campaign aims to redraw Colorado’s congressional map and could flip multiple seats. The hosts break down legal choices, timing and the map’s likely partisan shifts. They also dig into two sudden Arizona Republican dropouts and how MAGA purity tests are reshaping primaries. Finally, they preview a high-stakes Florida special election that includes Mar-a-Lago territory.
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Democrats' Surprise Ballot Push
- Democrats have launched a funded ballot campaign in Colorado to replace the commission-drawn map for 2028 and 2030.
- The move mirrors California and Virginia tactics to bypass legislatures and reshape congressional outcomes.
Map Would Create One Republican 'Sink'
- The proposed Colorado map would shift three GOP-leaning districts left and likely elect seven Democrats and one Republican.
- Mapmakers create a GOP 'vote sink' to pack Republican voters into a single deep-red district.
Legal Tradeoffs Shape Strategy
- Colorado organizers face a legal choice: repeal constitutional commission language or amend the constitution to insert the new map.
- Repeal needs a simple majority but risks a prior court ruling banning mid-decade redistricting; amendment needs 55% but avoids that legal pitfall.