YourHub.com reported live from local races around the metro area. Go to
http://denver.yourhub.com/elections to read live reports and to read candidate Q&A's.Click here for up-to-the-minute results in Broomfield.
It's one of the closest and most watched races in Colorado, 39-year-old Democrat
Joe Whitcomb and 45-year-old Republican incumbent
Shawn Mitchell vie for State Senate District 23, which includes Broomfield, Western Adams County and southwestern Weld county.
A political novice, Whitcomb is a former army ranger and an attorney who wants to bring "common-sense" priorities to Colorado, including improving public education, expanding healthcare coverage to include all Coloradoans, cleaning up the environment and restoring the economy, according to his Web site. If he wins, the first thing he said he'll do is mirror Colorado's healthcare system for state employees for the rest of the state. The system is a publicly funded, privately administered health plan, which would be optional for Coloradoans.
Deemed an outspoken and articulate Republican, Mitchell also is an attorney who served as a State Representative from 1998 to 2004 and a State Senator from 2004 to present. According to his Web site, Mitchell stands for "freedom, personal responsibility and effective, limited government." He has had a history of voting against government spending, including fighting against legislation that allows school districts to keep property tax revenue they would have to give back to taxpayers because of Taxpayer's Bill of Rights or TABOR.
It's official // 11:20 p.m.
Mitchell wins. Neither he nor his opponent Joe Whitcomb are available for comment.
One Democrat takes huge leap forward, another backward // 10:30 p.m.
Although there are tears of joy at Woody's as people watched
Barack Obama's acceptance speech, one Democrat isn't celebrating his own victory. Although the race hasn't been officially called by Whitcomb's camp, Mitchell has 54 percent of the vote and Whitcomb has 46 percent of the vote.
Leaning in Mitchell's favor // 9:45 p.m.
Weld County reported unofficially that Mitchell was leading by a wide margin with 18,845 votes or 57.27 percent, while Whitcomb has 14,059 or 42.73 percent.
The Weld County numbers include all of the early voting centers, but not all the mail-in, provisional or general voting sites.
At 9:03 p.m., Broomfield reported unofficially that Mitchell had a smaller lead with 6,977 votes or 50.8 percent and Whitcomb had 6,757 votes or 49.2 percent.
The Broomfield numbers are from all early voting locations, mail-in ballots processed through 9 p.m., but no general vote centers have released numbers.
Adams County's numbers are razor-thin, with only 26 votes separating the two in the county. Mitchell has 6,409 votes to Whitcomb's 6,383.
Too close to call // 9:00 p.m.
Whitcomb is leading with 51 percent of the votes, but votes are still trickling in from Broomfield, while Adams and Weld counties have not released their numbers. Whitcomb pumps his fist hoping for more votes. He's optimistic, but knows it's still early.
"If I call it now, I'm an idiot. I'm NBC in 2000," he jokes in reference to the network's early call of the presidential race for
Al Gore. Meanwhile, his opponent Mitchell is home sick, but also is optimistic. "It still looks like I'll win, but it's close."
Sea of blue // 8:45 p.m.
There is more energy at Woody'sthan at the Republican state party. People cheer as they watch the results trickle in on TV. Local Democratic candidates,including Whitcomb and Rep.
Dianna Primaveraare gathered with supporters eating possibly the cheapest pizza in the state, only 25 cents.
Kevin Kreeger, chair of the Broomfield County Democratic Party, just announced that Fox News called Virginia an Obama state and everyone cheers.
Mitchell is ill, will not be at party // 7:20 p.m.
YourHub.com just learned that Sen.
Shawn Mitchell is sick and will not be attending the Republican party in Lone Tree. YourHub.com will start reporting live at Woody's restaurant, 1100 US Highway 287, Broomfield, where Joe Whitcomb is gathering with other Democrats.
State Republican party headquarters // 7:15 p.m.
YourHub.com is reporting live from the state Republican party at the Marriot Hotel, 10345 Park Meadows Drive. The party is a sea of red with lots of people wearing McCain/Palin T-shirts. There is a buzz of activity, including TV crews filming and two jumbo screens airing Fox News.
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