A full 89 percent of voters cited cost of living as a major or crucial factor in the 2026 midterm elections, yet Colorado Democrats won decisive victories that may accelerate expensive energy policies, according to a November 2026 analysis published by the Independence Institute. The report warns that incoming Governor Phil Weiser's clean energy agenda could dramatically raise electricity costs while voters were primarily motivated by affordability concerns. Colorado's electricity rates over the next four years will be determined less by Congress than by Weiser and his appointments to the state Public Utilities Commission, the report notes.
Weiser captured 60.94 percent of the vote with 77 percent reporting as of the morning of November 4, and has pledged to "accelerate development of solar and wind projects across Colorado." Analysis from Always On Energy Research found that Governor Jared Polis' 100 percent clean energy by 2040 plan, which Weiser is expected to continue, will cost the state $318.8 billion through 2050 and push average monthly electricity bills to $628 by 2040. All three Public Utilities Commission seats expire during Weiser's term: Tom Plant in January 2027, Megan Gilman in January 2028, and Chairman Eric Blank in January 2029. At the congressional level, Democrats hold five of eight House seats as of November 4 morning, with three races still undecided, and if current leads hold, Colorado will send seven Democrats and one Republican to Washington. In the state's primary oil-and-gas district, CD-8, Republican incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans lost to Democrat Manny Rutinel, who secured 55.47 percent of the vote.
Weiser himself acknowledges the financial burden, stating "This work will not be cheap in the short term," while the report indicates maintaining the state's existing thermal generators would be far less costly. The incoming governor plans to fund part of his agenda through cap-and-trade, a mechanism the report says "hasn't worked out well for Californians or Washingtonians at the pump." Even outgoing Governor Polis resisted cap-and-trade, saying "it is not an appropriate policy for Colorado," according to the analysis. The report also points to Weiser's lawsuit as attorney general challenging federal orders to keep Craig Unit 1 coal plant running for reliability, with Weiser claiming "there is no evidence of an energy emergency that would require keeping Craig Unit 1 open"—a position that may be difficult to defend after this summer's emergency alerts from the region's grid operator, which narrowly avoided blackouts.
The report's authors argue that Colorado Democrats misread their electoral success if they treat it as support for aggressive energy policies rather than a mandate for affordability. At the national level, Democratic majorities in both chambers may push to restore wind and solar subsidies, potentially through must-pass spending legislation to secure President Trump's signature. The Cato Institute estimated the Inflation Reduction Act's energy subsidies could reach $4.7 trillion nationwide by 2050, and restoring them "puts a finger on the scale for wind and solar and will not be cheap," the analysis states. State law prohibits more than two Public Utilities Commissioners from the same party, so Plant's replacement must be a non-Democrat, but Weiser will control the other two appointments and influence every rate case and PUC decision throughout his term.
Colorado Democrats are heading to the Governor's mansion, the state legislature, and Washington largely because of voter frustration over living costs, the report concludes. The analysis warns they "should reconsider the energy policies that will ensure things get worse for Coloradans," as Weiser's renewable energy acceleration plan will prove "far more costly" than keeping existing power plants running. With voters prioritizing affordability above all else, Democrats risk deepening the very problem that put them in office if they pursue expensive clean energy mandates without regard for ratepayer costs.