11 26 9 41 24 Dem Dem

13 24 11 48 17 Dem Dem

15 17 18 26 39 Rep Rep

17 18 17 40 25 Dem Dem

19 21 14 24 41 Dem Rep

21 11 24 7 58 Rep Rep

23 12 23 32 33 Rep Rep

25 14 21 13 52 Rep Rep

27 16 19 22 43 Rep Rep

29 12 23 18 47 Rep Rep

31 13 22 34 31 Rep Dem

33 26 9 54 11 Dem Dem

35 29 6 50 15 Dem Dem

37 29 6 50 15 Dem Dem

39 23 12 28 37 Dem Rep

41 18 17 28 37 Dem Rep

43 11 24 10 55 Rep Rep

45 8 27 19 46 Rep Rep

47 8 27 19 46 Rep Rep

49 14 21 41 24 Rep Dem

51 15 20 18 47 Rep Rep

53 12 23 20 45 Rep Rep

55 15 20 29 36 Rep Rep

57 21 14 38 27 Dem Dem

59 22 13 44 21 Dem Dem

61 19 16 33 32 Dem Dem

63 15 20 24 41 Rep Rep

65 15 20 42 23 Rep Dem

67 15 20 27 38 Rep Rep

69 11 24 27 38 Rep Rep

71 14 21 27 38 Rep Rep

73 13 22 28 37 Rep Rep

75 16 19 39 26 Rep Dem

77 17 18 30 35 Rep Rep

79 13 22 27 38 Rep Rep

81 13 22 26** 39 Rep Rep

83 14 21 25** 40 Rep Rep

85 11 24 18 47 Rep Rep

87 10 25 25** 40 Rep Rep

89 11 24 26 39 Rep Rep

91 12 23 27 38 Rep Rep

93 16 19 31 34 Rep Rep

95 16 19 24 41 Rep Rep

97 15 20 24 41 Rep Rep

99 15 20 25 40 Rep Rep

Plus * House: 8 Silver Republicans, 13 Populists

Plus * Senate: 6 Silver Republicans, 7 Populists, 1 Single-Tax

** Original number of Democrats before defection of one each year.

Lots of news stories claim Colorado is "now" a Republican state based on voting registration figures. Actually, Colorado has been a Republican state for the past 100 years, at least if the makeup of the legislature is a valid indicator of voting on a local, not statewide basis.

Dividing the years into 1901-29, 1931-59, and 1961-99, we find Republicans in control the overwhelming majority of the past 100 years. From 1901 through 1929, Republicans controlled the Senate, 16 years to 14 for the Democrats. In the House, Republicans were in charge 20 years and Democrats, ten. Part of this was the roaring 20's when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate for all ten years.

From 1931 through 1959, Republicans controlled the Senate, 16 years to 14 for the Democrats. In the House, it was Republicans, 16 years, Democrats, 14 years. Eight of those 14 years for Democrats came during the depression of the 1930's.

From 1961 through 1999, Republicans controlled the Senate 38 years, and Democrats, two years. In the House, it was Republicans, 32 years, Democrats, six years. As you can see from the box, Republican control of the House has been uninterrupted for 24 years, and the Senate, for 38 years.

So the total for 100 years in the Senate is: Republicans, 70 years, Democrats, 30 years. In the House the breakdown is: Republicans, 68 years, Democrats, 32 years.

* * *

If the Denver Post had had its way, the 1999 Colorado House and Senate would have been controlled by Democrats. Unlike the Denver Rocky Mountain News, the Post made endorsements in every contested House and Senate race. The end result would have been 34 Democrats and 31 Republicans in the House and 19 Democrats and 16 Republicans in the Senate.

The last time Democrats controlled both houses in Colorado was 1961 when Democrats had 19 senators and 33 representatives. The Post decision made sense if it wanted a "balanced" government, since the Post endorsed Bill Owens for governor. If the Post endorsements had been followed, state government would have seen the "flip side" of 1998.

Jerry Kopel writes a column for the Statesman based on 22 years past experience as a state legislator.