KUSA — While pollsters said the race narrowed in the final days, Rep. Scott Tipton was able to overcome whatever "blue wave" may have affected his district to dispatch Democratic challenger Diane Mitsch Bush and hold onto his seat in the U.S. House.
The race for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District ended as it has since 2010: with Tipton representing it. The district, which encompasses almost the entire western half of the state, has always leaned Republican and is made up of mostly rural voters, but Democrats saw a chance to take the seat. Tipton, however, would not easily be beaten.
Both candidates spent more than $1.3 million on the race, with Democrats hoping to flip the district after Tipton did the same in 2010.
Election forecasting website FiveThirtyEight had the race as a toss-up moving toward election day, despite the district's 13-point Republican lean. The big shift in the race appeared to happen on Oct. 14, when it narrowed from Tipton expected to win by 14 points to nine - but as early election results show, the narrowing was a moot point.
Despite the close race, Tipton will continue to represent Colorado's 3rd District as a member of the GOP.
A lifelong member of the NRA and firm believer in family values [https://www.votetipton.com/issues/], Tipton ran as an avowed Republican to Bush's more moderate Democratic tone. Voters decided to keep with the representative they know versus a Democrat they didn't. Polling website Inside Elections had the race as solidly Republican, and while it wasn't as big of a blowout as some races this Tuesday, Tipton has held his seat for two more years.
