Like most people, Steve House used to think of Colorado as a “purple” state-not red, not blue, but somewhere in the middle when it comes to elected Republicans and Democrats. But now the state GOP leader is thinking differently based on the party’s surprising strength on Election Day.

Presidential years are usually good for Democrats in Colorado, but despite the loss of Donald Trump in the presidential election, and Darryl Glenn lost his bid for U.S. Senate, Republicans beat the polls and exceeded even most GOP expectations in down-ballot races.

“I kind went into this election still believing, based on the evidence, that this was a purple state,” House said. “We wished it was redder, but it’s a purple state, yet we have four of the seven seats for Congress, we have one of the two seats in the Senate, we split the houses in the statehouse, the state Senate, (and) we have 60 percent of the counties that were Republican.”

As a bellwether, he cited Republican newcomer Heidi Ganahl’s win over well-known for Democratic legislator Alice Madden in the race for the statewide at-large seat  on the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

While some worried people might hesitate to vote in the race because most people don’t know what a regent does, Ganahl got close to as many votes statewide as did Hillary Clinton, the state party chairman noted.

“For her to get over 1,285,000 voters tin a CU regent’s race told us two things,” House said. “One, people are starting to be more aware and care about all those races, and the other is Heidi is probably a really, really strong candidate now in this role, but also in the future.”

Clinton got about 1.33 million votes.

“I think Colorado is still very red at heart, still very fiscally conservative, and we just need to leverage what we learned this year and take it farther in ’18, when we have the opportunity to elect a Republican governor, take back the House and continue our ways in  the Senate,” House said.

“I think this was a great year for learning and I think 2018 will be one of the most uniquely innovative elections in American history.”