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Colorado Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet said Sunday that he is ready to lose his seat if that's what is necessary to pass a health care reform bill.

Washington (CNN) – A freshman Democratic senator said Sunday that he will support his party’s efforts to pass health care reform legislation even if that means losing his seat in next year’s midterm elections.

“If you get to the final point and you are a critical vote for health care reform and every piece of evidence tells you if you support the bill you will lose your job, would you cast the vote and lose your job?” CNN’s John King asked Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado on Sunday’s State of the Union.

“Yes,” Bennet bluntly and simply replied.

Bennet was appointed by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter to replace Sen. Ken Salazar, who stepped down from the Senate to serve as President Obama’s Interior Secretary. Bennet, who was superintendent of the Denver public school system prior to his appointment, will have to seek election to the seat for the first time in 2010.

Related: West is tough terrain for Democrats

(CNN) – The crowded field of candidates who are challenging Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado gets some new players this week.

Today, Republican former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton is expected to announce her bid with a three-city campaign swing through Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. Norton served as lieutenant governor under Republican Gov. Bill Owens from 2003 to 2007. She did not seek the top spot in the 2006 election, when Owens was term-limited, and is currently executive director of the Denver Police Foundation.

Norton joins at least five other Republican candidates who are considering a run for Colorado's GOP Senate nomination.

Tomorrow, Bennet gets another challenger - this time from his own party. Former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff is expected to officially announce his bid for the Democratic Senate nomination, with events planned in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver.

Bennet was considered a surprise choice by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter to replace Sen. Ken Salazar, who stepped down from his seat in January to serve as President Barack Obama's Interior Secretary. Bennet, who was superintendent of the Denver public school system, will have to defend the seat next year.

"There is no perfect, painless silver bullet out there that solves everyone's problem, that gives everyone perfect health care for free. I wish there was," Obama said in a town hall meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado.

"I can't do it. Nobody can. What I can do is try to sort though what are all the options available, be realistic about where we're going on health care, say to myself if we keep on doing what we're doing, we're in a world of hurt."

If health care reform fails, Medicare and Medicaid risk going broke, state and federal budgets will be unsustainable, "and then we're going to have to make some really bad decisions where we have no good options," Obama said.

Obama's comments came in response to remarks from an audience member about the increasingly contentious tone the health care debate is taking, in Congress and in town hall meetings held by lawmakers around the country.

"Is it not time that something be done?" the man said.

In responding to the man's question, Obama also criticized opponents of health care overhaul, especially members of Congress who he said reduce the debate to scare tactics and mischaracterizations.

Updated: 10:14 p.m.

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Related: Health care in America

President Obama will sign the economic stimulus bill Tuesday in Denver, Colorado, two officials said Saturday.

(CNN) - President Obama will sign the economic stimulus bill Tuesday in Denver, Colorado, two senior administration officials confirm to CNN.

Both officials cited a desire to get out of Washington - to go, in the words of one official, “out west in an area hit hard economically, away from the politics of Washington.”

The other official described Denver as “a place that will see the benefits of the bill in hiring workers.”

Obama traveled to areas hit hard by the economic downturn last week, holding town hall meetings in Elkhart, Indiana and Fort Myers, Florida. He met with workers at a Caterpillar plant in Peoria, Illinois on Thursday, after the company announced 22,000 layoffs.

Peter Groff, left, and Terrance Carroll are the new leaders of Colorado's legislature.

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) - In Washington, all eyes are on President-elect Barack Obama, but 1,700 miles away, in Colorado, another historic swearing-in has taken place.

For the first time in American history, African-Americans lead both chambers of a state legislature.

"I'm honored and humbled that my colleagues chose us to lead the Senate and the House. And it's more humbling when you look and this is a state with 4 percent African-American population," said new Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll, who joins Senate President Peter Groff in the state Capitol.

"And it leads you to believe and impresses upon you that they were more concerned with our character and our ability to lead as opposed to the color of our skin," he added.

Carroll said he's mindful of history.

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Bennet replaces Salazar, above, Obama's choice for interior secretary.

(CNN) - President-elect Barack Obama Saturday praised Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter's choice of Michael Bennet as that state's next senator, saying Bennet reflects "the qualities of the ruggedly independent state."

Ritter officially announced his choice at a Denver press conference Saturday.

"Filling Ken Salazar's boots in the US Senate is a tall order. But in selecting Michael Bennet, Governor Ritter has made an excellent choice," Obama said in a statement released by his transition office.

"Michael Bennet perfectly reflects the qualities of the ruggedly independent state he has been chosen to serve. An innovator in the public and private sectors, he has shown himself willing to challenge old thinking and stale policies," Obama also said.

Bennet, the Denver Public Schools Superintendent, replaces Sen. Ken Salazar, Obama's choice to be interior secretary.

Ritter had narrowed down his choice to either Bennet or the popular Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, and made his final decision on New Years Day, according to reports.

In the news conference Saturday, Ritter said Bennet is "exactly who we need representing Colorado."

"Michael has this unique set of personal and professional experiences that make him the right choice for Colorado," Ritter said, according to CNN Denver affiliate KUSA.

McCain is heading back to New Mexico tomorrow.

(CNN) - John McCain will spend the final hours before the polls close Tuesday visiting Colorado and New Mexico, two states his campaign manager now says are key to a last-minute “new pathway to victory.”

Both states voted for President Bush in 2004, but have been leaning Obama this cycle.

Watch: McCain looks for a late shift in momentum

Late Sunday, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis sketched out a fresh roadmap to the White House that runs through the West, telling reporters that new surveys that suggested Barack Obama’s lead was shrinking to single digits had given the Republican nominee reason for optimism. “If we can win Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, all of the sudden we’ve got a whole new pathway to victory,” Davis told reporters. “Those weren’t even on the list three weeks ago.”

McCain's visit to New Mexico tomorrow will mark his second stop in the state in two days.

Watch: McCain says 'I need your vote'

Obama leads by 6 in the most recent CNN Colorado poll of polls, and by 8 points in an Albuquerque Journal/Research & Polling survey of New Mexico voters, both released late last week.

Both states also feature Senate races for seats held by retiring Republicans; Democrats are heavily favored in both contests, as the party pushes for a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate.

A caller to CNN's voter hotline will be allowed to vote by secure fax.

(CNN) – When Chawnte Williams, a voter registered in the Denver area, originally called CNN’s voter hotline, the prospects of actually casting an absentee ballot did not look good.

Earlier: Some voters still waiting on absentee ballots

“I applied for an absentee ballot before October 6,” Williams explained in her call. When the ballot did not arrive earlier this week as promised by local election officials in Denver, Williams called to check in “and they had no record” of Williams' request for an absentee ballot. “So, because of somebody’s clerical error, now it looks like I might not be able to vote,” Williams also said on her hotline call.

"I feel like I'm not going to be able to vote and there's no reason why," Williams also told CNN in a telephone interview Thursday.

After making contact with election officials in Denver again on Friday, Williams learned she will be able to vote absentee after all.

“I was informed that I will be able to fill out a write-in ballot and send it to the commission by a secure fax machine,” Williams wrote in an e-mail to CNN Saturday. “Thanks for all of your help,” she added.

CNN estimates that roughly 23 million Americans have already cast ballots in this year’s general election.

CNN will be tracking voter problems through Election Day. If you have a problem or see a problem, call the CNN Voter Hotline at 877-462-6608. See what issues are a concern in each state by clicking on the interactive Hotline map at cnn.com/hotline.

Sen. Obama has an advantage over Sen. McCain in 4 of the 5 CNN's latest state polls of polls.

(CNN) – It's down to the wire for Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain as
the two men enter their final weekend of campaigning. With just three days until Election Day, CNN's latest polls of polls shows Obama holding on to leads in a few key battlegrounds — and neck-and-neck with McCain in others.

Obama leads McCain by 12 points in CNN's latest New Hampshire poll of polls. Fifty-three percent of likely voters in New Hampshire support Obama and 41 percent back McCain. Six percent are unsure about their choice for president. In CNN's October 31 New Hampshire poll of polls, Obama led McCain by 15 points - 54 percent compared to 39 percent.

Obama is also ahead in Wisconsin, where CNN's latest poll of polls in the state gives him an 11 point lead: Fifty-three percent of voters in Wisconsin support the Illinois senator and 42 percent support the Arizona senator. Five percent of voters in the state are unsure about their choice for president. In CNN's October 30 Wisconsin poll of polls, Obama was ahead by 12 points - 53 percent to 41 percent.

In Colorado, Obama is ahead by 7 points in CNN's latest poll of polls. Fifty-two percent of likely voters in the state support Obama and 45 percent support McCain. Three percent of voters in the state are undecided. In CNN's October 31 Colorado poll of polls, Obama and McCain were also separated by 7 percentage points - 51 percent for Obama and 44 percent for McCain.

Obama holds the slimmest of advantages in Montana in CNN's first poll of polls for the state: Forty-six percent of likely voters in the state back Obama, and 45 percent support McCain. Nine percent of Montana's likely voters are unsure about their choice for president.

The two presidential rivals are tied in CNN's latest Missouri poll of polls. Each man garners support from 48 percent of the state's likely voters. Four percent are unsure about their choice for president. The two men were also tied at 47 percent each in CNN's October 31 Missouri poll of polls.

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Some voters still haven't received absentee ballots.

(CNN) – With less than a week until Election Day, some voters are still anxiously awaiting the arrival of their absentee ballots.

Max Lohrey of La Junta in Otero County, Colorado called CNN’s voter hotline concerned that a missing absentee ballot might have “fallen into the hands of the wrong people . . . is this going to be used for fraud?”

Chawnte Williams, is registered to vote in the Denver area but is currently out of state.  Williams reports that she requested an absentee ballot earlier this month and was informed that it would not arrive until the end of October because of printing problems. When the ballot did not arrive as scheduled, she called to check on it again, and was told by her local election officials that they had no record of her requesting an absentee ballot.

“So because of somebody’s clerical error, now it looks like I might not be able to vote,” Williams said on the hotline.  "I feel like I'm not going to be able to vote and there's no reason why," Williams also told CNN in a telephone interview Thursday.

Read the rest of this entry »

(CNN) – A lawsuit was filed late last week against Mike Coffman, Colorado’s Republican Secretary of State alleging that thousands of voters were purged from the battleground state’s rolls in violation of federal law.

Click here to read the complaint against Coffman

“Legitimate voters should have their voices heard,” Jenny Flanagan, the Executive Director of Colorado Common Cause, said in a statement. “By returning wrongfully purged voters to the list we can ensure their rights are protected,” she added.

Coffman’s office has denied any wrongdoing, and Coffman says he believes Colorado has fully complied with all applicable voter registration laws and voter cancellation procedures.

CNN currently considers Colorado to be a toss-up on its Electoral College map.

–CNN Correspondent Dan Simon contributed to this report

Sen. McCain held a town hall in Denver earlier this week.

(CNN) - Call it the Rocky Mountain battle for the White House.

A new CNN Poll of Polls in Colorado suggests the battle for the state's 9 electoral votes is a dead heat. In the survey, compiled Sunday, 47 percent of likely voters in Colorado back Barack Obama for president, with 46 percent supporting John McCain. Seven percent of those questioned are undecided.

The CNN Poll of Polls is a compilation of the latest surveys in the state. The polls in this latest average are a Mason-Dixon survey conducted September 29-October 1, a CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation poll taken September 21-23, and an American Research Group survey conducted September 23-25.

Both campaigns are spending a lot of time and money campaigning in Colorado. McCain made a swing through the state on Thursday and Friday. Obama last campaigned in Colorado on September 29. The Democrats also held their party's national convention there in late August.

Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada are three mountain west states that voted for George W. Bush in 2004 that the Democrats are hoping to turn from red to blue come Election Day.

McCain campaigned in Denver earlier Thursday

(CNN) - John McCain held a campaign rally in Denver, Colorado earlier Thursday.

Could CNN's electoral map shift Wednesday? Check back at 4 pm for the answer.

(CNN) – Will the Democrats get Rocky Mountain high in Colorado?

The answer could determine who wins the race for the White House.

It's no coincidence Democrats decided to hold last month's presidential nominating convention in Denver. Colorado hasn't voted for the Democrats in a presidential election since 1992. But President Bush won the state by only 5 points over Senator John Kerry in 2004, the Democrats made major gains at the state level in the past two elections - and in this presidential election, the Obama campaign hopes to turn the state from red to blue.

Related: CNN's John King on Colorado's Latino voters - a key swing vote this fall

A state poll out earlier this week by Quinnipiac University put Barack Obama up four points over Republican rival John McCain. Today at 4 pm ET, we'll get a better sense of where the race in Colorado stands, as CNN, Time Magazine and the Opinion Research Corporation release brand new numbers on the race for the White House in the state - and CNN updates its Electoral Map.

Check out CNN's current electoral map

The poll will also include new state surveys on the battle for the presidency in Montana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) – A new poll suggests the race for the White House remains all tied up here in Colorado.

In a Quinnipiac University survey of likely Colorado voters out Sunday, 47 percent of those questioned say presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is their choice for President, with 46 percent backing Democratic rival Barack Obama. The 1 point difference makes the result a statistical dead heat.

Seven percent of those polled remain undecided.

George W. Bush won Colorado by 9 points in the 2000 election, and took the state by 5 points in his re-election bid four years ago.

But the Democrats made major gains in Colorado in statewide elections in 2006, and they hope to capture the state in this year’s presidential election. That’s one reason why the party is holding their convention in Colorado’s capital city.

“In 2004, young voters outnumbered seniors in Colorado. And Democrats are making a big push to get even more of them to the polls this year, along with Latinos and suburban women, two other groups that have been trending Democratic in Colorado,” says CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.

Colorado is a toss-up state, according to CNN's latest Electoral Map.

(CNN) – Less than a week before the Democratic Party convenes in Denver to officially name its nominee, a new poll shows the typically-red state of Colorado shaping up as a battleground in the November election.

Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, leads his rival Sen. Barack Obama by 3 percentage points – 44 percent to 41 percent – in a new Rocky Mountain News/CBS 4 poll. Fifteen percent of those surveyed said they were unsure about their choice for president.

The poll of 500 registered voters conducted August 11-13 has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, making the McCain-Obama race a virtual tie in Colorado.

Click here to see CNN's Electoral Map.

To track the Colorado caucus results county-by-county, click here:  Colorado

To track the Colorado caucus results county-by-county, click here: Colorado