Colorado Senate race moves from ‘Lean Dem’ to ‘toss up’ as polls tighten

Real Clear Politics has shifted its prediction of a hotly contested Senate race in Colorado from leaning toward Democratic victory to a “toss up” as several high profile races across the country continue to tighten with Republicans hoping to take back control of the chamber next week.

On its updated election prediction map, Real Clear Politics now shows the race between Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet and his challenger, Republican construction magnate Joe O’Dea, is classified as a “toss up” after previously being viewed as “Leans Dem.”

“Voters are angry and they know who caused the problem — they’re fed up and eager for change,” Joshua Marin-Mora, deputy press secretary for the O’Dea campaign, posted on Twitter in response to the news on Friday.

“When you’re talking about the issues that affect working Coloradans, that’s what’s moving the needle,” O’Dea told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We’re talking about record inflation, record crime, and diesel that’s over $5 a gallon. That’s what matters to working Americans, and that’s why we’re going to win on Tuesday.”

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The Real Clear Politics average of Colorado polls shows Bennet with a lead of 5.3% which is far tighter than polls in August and September that showed Bennet up by double digits.

O’Dea has targeted Bennet on his ties to President Biden’s economy as voters across the country have told pollsters that inflation is their main concern heading into the midterm elections. Additionally, O’Dea has focused on illegal immigration, including during a visit to the southern border this week when he accused Democrats of “doing nothing” to address the ongoing migrant crisis.

Bennet has pushed back on O’Dea’s characterization of his record and called the Republican challenger a “liar” in a recent debate.

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Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, speaks during a news conference on the Child Tax Credit at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
(Al Drago/Bloomberg)

Bennet has also attempted to distance himself from some Biden policies and said Biden made a “serious mistake” on immigration by lifting Title 42 as well as traveling to Saudi Arabia and forgiving student loans via executive order. 

Bennet also championed the work he and President Biden have done to pass infrastructure legislation in a recent opinion piece published on FoxNews.com.

Colorado Senate candidate Joe O’Dea visits the southern border in Texas.
(Joe O’Dea campaign)

Bennet’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Colorado is one of several states across the country that Biden carried in 2020 that now appear to be on the verge of electing a Republican candidate, including New York, where Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin is in a tight race with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Oregon, where polling shows Democrat Tina Kotek has a narrow lead over Republican Christine Drazan.

Republicans have also made gains in key Senate races in Georgia and Pennsylvania with polls showing Republicans Dr. Mehmet Oz and former football star Herschel Walker within striking distance of their Democratic opponents.