The 2020 election, like perhaps no other in our lifetime, yielded moments of history that generations will learn about.

The reality TV show president faced a lion of the Senate, the former vice president, said to be long in the tooth. Here in Colorado we had our own clash of the titans in a nationally coveted U.S. Senate race.

Republican incumbent Cory Gardner accused former Gov. John Hickenlooper of being a selfish, unethical closet socialist, broadsides the popular governor was not used to, but this wasn’t the kind of race any of us are used to in Colorado.

Colorado Politics gleaned notebooks for the best and worst, the most interesting and amusing of the 2020 election season — from Hickenlooper’s use of “horse excrement” to GOP congressional candidate Lauren Boebert packing heat and breaking the law, this year had something for everybody.

Agree or disagree, this is our campaign scrapbook from the Coloradans who watched it more closely than anyone:

Say what? Best campaign quotes

“Joe Biden is doing a fundraiser with newly minted Greek citizen Tom Hanks tomorrow.”

— 3rd Congressional District nominee Lauren Boebert, in a tweet referencing a QAnon conspiracy, after repeatedly saying she doesn’t follow QAnon.

“That’s like getting a colonoscopy at the DMV.” 

— U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner on Gov. John Hickenlooper’s health care plan.

“I definitely apologize for the tweet. I think it was obviously very confusing and not artfully crafted.”

— Secretary of State Jena Griswold regarding her demand that the media not report results on election night.

*****

The lowest moment

When Republican state Rep. Stephen Humphrey of Ault recorded and circulated a robocall that targeted the state’s first transgender legislator, Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone of Arvada.

He alleged in the 45-second spot that the incumbent’s “radical sexual agenda” would harm “your wives and daughters.” Titone is in a rematch against Vicki Pyne, the same Republican she beat, barely, two years ago.

*****

Ka-ching

Most expensive races: Proposition 115, on banning abortions after 22 weeks, and Proposition EE, on raising taxes on nicotine products, have both raised more than $8 million each for and against them as of Oct. 27.

Cheapest race: Amendment C on the regulation of charitable bingo games, with nothing raised in support and nothing raised in opposition.

*****

Best nickname of 2020: Cardboard Cory (Gardner)

Runner-up best: Thomas “Tony” Exum Sr., state representative from Colorado Springs

Worst nickname of 2020: Beijing John (Hickenlooper)

Runner-up worst: Mrs. Mitsch Bush Goes to Washington, given by herself

*****

Five catchy campaign names

Elect the Wolf, supporting Proposition 114

Not Now Colorado, opposing Proposition 118

Stop the Wolf PAC, opposing Proposition 114

Colorado Coming Together, supporting Amendment B

Cut the Strings, anti-Cory Gardner

*****

Griswold’s greatest hits

Allowing Planned Parenthood to edit a state press release — On May 16, 2019, the fiercely Democratic Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, tried to block her employees from attending a training event in Alabama over the state’s abortion laws.

Ordering the national media to refrain from reporting election night results — On Oct. 1, a hashtag movement she tried to launch, then retracted and apologized for within hours, after near-consensus backlash

O’ brother, where are thou — Among the norm-busters in a deep Colorado Public Radio story on Oct. 19, Ben Markus told how her brother, Chris Griswold, a noted political operative who is not employed by the state, called Broomfield Mayor Pat Quinn to complain about his sister’s conflict with town clerk Jennifer Robinson, who was subsequently given a week of paid leave over the spat.

Allegedly called the “Dr. Fauci of vote by mail” by her staff — according to her August interview with the website of women in politics The 19th

Higher office aspirations — Six months into her first elected office, before overseeing her first election, Griswold formed an exploratory committee to lay the groundwork to run for U.S. Senate — this year. She soon dropped the idea, or, at least, put it on hold.

*****

Pit bulls and wolves

Voters in Denver are deciding whether to allow pit bulls (Ballot Measure 2J), but as the largest bloc of voters in the state, the city will have an outsized say in whether wolves are reintroduced on the West Slope (Proposition 114). That’s a paradox worth watching.

*****

Five safest bets

1. Colorado will again be among the highest turnout states in the land.
2. Democrats will keep the state House and Senate.
3. Liberal causes will regret not riding the blue wave.
4. Denver will continue its leftward March.
5. The sun will rise in the east on Nov. 4.

*****

Old faces in new races

Former deputy secretary of state Suzanne Staiert in Senate District 27.

State Rep. Tracy Kraft Tharp and Sen. Andy Kerr for Jefferson County commissioner.

Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer in Senate District 23.

Rep. Perry Buck for the Weld County Commission at-large seat.

*****

Women of the West

Whether it’s Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush or Republican Lauren Boebert, history will be made this year on the Western Slope when the 3rd Congressional District elects its first woman to Congress.

*****

Women of the House

Overall, Colorado has the strongest representation of women of any statehouse in the country, but it remains to be seen if Democrats and Republicans put women in charge of their respective caucuses next session, with term limits removing House Speaker KC Becker, the third consecutive Democratic woman to lead the chamber.

Party representation is another matter. The Republicans began 2019 with seven women; it shrank to six in 2020 and is likely to drop one more in 2021, with the departure of Rep. Lori Saine and the likely election of Dan Woog to replace her.

In 2020, there were 26 women in the 41-member House Democratic caucus (one fewer than in 2019), and women’s representation could increase to 29 after Nov. 3. That will restore the women’s majority in the Colorado House, at 34-33.

In the Senate, the Republicans are likely to keep at least one woman, and maybe grow to two. Barbara Kirkmeyer is running to replace Sen. Vicki Marble, and former deputy secretary of state Suzanne Staiert is running to replace Jack Tate, who did not seek another term.

Dems have 11 women out of their 19-member Senate caucus; the election could make it 20 members, but seasoned and informed campaign-watchers expect the number to remain at 11.

*****

Past tense

In a national race, the past is never the past, and former Gov. John Hickenlooper and 3rd Congressional District candidate Lauren Boebert got the business end of their respective pasts. Hickenlooper has been pilloried over his travel as governor and the subsequent ethics violations. Boebert has been broadsided with her past arrests, tax problems and health code issues, as well as willfully thumbing her nose at COVID-19 restrictions.

*****

Put to a committee 

There are 34 issue committees working on the 11 statewide ballot measures, and collectively they’ve raised $39.7 million, according to reports filed through Oct. 14. As of Oct. 14, the largest donor is Liggett Brands, a tobacco company, to the anti-EE committee, with $3.5 million in contributions. Those for and against EE have raised the most money, with nearly $8 million.

*****

Taxes in the city

Denver voters have agreed to a handful of sales and use tax hikes over the last five years, according to the city’s Treasury Division. On the 2014 ballot, voters raised the sales and use tax rate for the Denver Pre-School Program from 0.12% to 0.15%. In 2018, voters OK’d four more sales tax increases for a total of 0.66%. That meant taxpayers in 2019 paid an extra 0.25% for Parks, Trails and Open Space, 0.25% for the Caring4Denver Fund, 0.08% for Healthy Food for Kids Initiative and 0.08% for Denver College Affordability.

In 2017, the group of voters registered in the Tourism Improvement District also approved a 1% lodger’s tax increase at hotels with 50 or more rooms.

Should voters greenlight two more tax increases in 2021 — 0.25% to fight climate change, and equally as much to address homelessness — the city’s total sales tax rate would reach 8.81%, making it one of the higher rates in the area.

*****

The mob hasn’t spoken

Voters don’t get the last word on most of the laws they might approve this year. Constitutional amendments have to be amended by voters, but that accounts for only four of the 11 questions this year. The rest are “statutory,” meaning the legislature could rewrite them. Proposition 113 might never take effect, even if it passes, because more states would still need to pledge their electoral college votes to the national popular vote winner. Prop 113 also asks voters to approve a law Democrats passed last year. Three of the 11 were fast-tracked to the ballot by the legislature, not via 124,632 voter signatures.

Then there’s Proposition 118, which makes a statutory change (on enterprise fees) that applies to a constitutional amendment (TABOR). Is that even legal?

*****

Not this year

Some ballot ideas never got off the ground or didn’t get enough signatures, including:

• Farm animal confinement standards.
• Repeal the flat tax and tax rich people more.
• $40 tax credit for voting.
• Make Election Day a paid holiday.
• Lower the fees to expunge criminal records.
• Changing the statute of limitations on ethics complaints filed through the state ethics commission.
• End the “fall back, spring forward” time change.

*****

Nickel a puff

If Proposition EE raises the minimum price of a pack of cigarettes to $7, that would mean each nicotine stick costs 35 cents. Scientific research says that, on average, a filtered cig yields eight drags, so that means each puff is going to cost 4.37 cents.

*****

Trump on Colorado

“We’re building a wall in Colorado. We’re building a beautiful wall, a big one that really works, that you can’t get over, you can’t get under.”

— Oct. 23, 2019, in a speech on American energy in Pittsburgh.

“We’ll be there. We’ll be in Colorado. We’ll be in Colorado a lot, actually. We have a great senator in Colorado. We have to get him extended. I’ll be there a lot.”

— Dec. 12, 2019, in response to an invitation from the owner of a Fruita childcare business at the White House. The coronavirus limited that goal to just one visit. 

“I don’t like the system, and I did pretty well in Colorado, could have won Colorado, but, uh, I could have won. I almost, uh … Uh, I can’t tell you what it is. I thought I would have won Colorado, frankly. I love Colorado and the people like me and we have a lot of the similar values. Uh, we do a lot of economic development there. A lot of things are planned. No, I don’t like mail-in ballots. I don’t think it’s good for Colorado, either.”

— June 22 in an interview with Joe St. George, former Fox 31 reporter,  at the White House. 

“Hello Colorado. We love Colorado, most beautiful place And I’m thrilled to be back in Colorado Springs. I’ve spent a lot of time here over the years. Beautiful place, beneath the majestic peaks, that’s true, of the Rocky Mountains with thousands of terrific, hardworking, great American patriots.”

— Feb. 21 in a speech at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs.

“We’re talking about, as you know, Space Force, and a lot of the states are interested in Space Force. And we’re talking to some of them, and I know that Colorado is very interested in it, and so we’ll be talking to you about that too. OK?”

— May 13 in a meeting with Gov. Jared Polis at the White House. 

*****

Specious claims, Senate edition

Gov. John Hickenlooper: Repeatedly implying dozens of ethics complaints were dismissed because they were without merit. That was because they fell outside the one-year statute of limitations. Runnerup: his claim that he didn’t want to run for the Senate because “I’m not cut out to be a senator,” while he was running for president.

Sen. Cory Gardner: Touting his environmental credentials through sponsoring the Great American Outdoors Act, yet one of two people vouching him in an ad was a Republican who formed her environmental organization and filed the official paperwork allegedly on the clock for state Sen. Paul Lundeen, which sparked an ethics complaint.

Staff writers Marianne Goodland and Alayna Alvarez contributed to this list.