May predicts GOP state House gains in November

Colorado House Minority Leader Mike May (R-Parker) said Republicans are aiming to pick up one to four seats in the lower chamber this November.

Speaking with PolitickerCO.com on Tuesday, May said Republicans are looking at unseating five Democratic incumbents on Nov. 4: Bernie Buescher, Sara Gagliardi, Wes McKinley, Judy Solano and Christine Scanlan.

Particularly, May said he thinks Solano's race against Republican Holly Hansen "is really going to be a battle."

May said Republicans will "clearly" pick up at least one seat currently held by Democrats: House District 40, where current state Rep. Debbie Stafford (D-Aurora) is term-limited. Republican Cindy Acree faces Democrat Karen Wilde in the race to replace her.

"That (race) is in the bank," May said.

Republicans' most vulnerable seat, May said, will be House District 17, where Republican Kit Roupe is fighting Democrat Denis Apuan to succeed Stella Garza Hicks.

The district trends Republican, he said, but as much of the district's voting base is in flux, "you never know what you have on your hands" there.

May was more confident about Spencer Swalm's re-election hopes in House District 37, where he faces Democrat Diana Holland.

Many - including Assistant House Majority Leader Terrance Carroll - have said they seen Swalm as vulnerable, but May disagreed with those predictions.

"Swalm's gonna be fine," May said.

In House District 25, May predicted Republican Cheri Gerou would beat Democrat Andrew Scripter. The current state House District 25 representative, Rob Witwer, is not seeking re-election.

May was also hopeful about Ken Torres' chances of unseating incumbent Democratic state Rep. Wes McKinley (D-Walsh) in House District 64, noting that Torres is a popular County Commissioner who has been endorsed by the other two county commissioners - both of whom are Democrats.

May was less sure about Republican Bob McCluskey's chances of unseating incumbent state Rep. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) in House District 52.

While May said a McCluskey win is "certainly doable this year," he added that the district was "hard to predict" because many voters there -- particularly those from Colorado State University -- are "quite influenced" by the presidential race.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated, in error, that state Rep. Rob Witwer is term-limited. He is not, but he has declined to seek re-election this year.