1992 is hardly a normal election year. billy jeff "carried" the state with only 40% of the vote with Perot taking 23%. Without Perot, it quite likely that George H. W. would have won Colorado.
Yes, Colorado is becoming more Democratic with each election cycle but since the Republicans have carried it in the last three presidential elections, I would hesitate to color it blue yet. I would be surprised if the Republican nominee (regardless of who he is) doesn't carry Colorado in 2008.
It depends on whether or not the full impact of the ruinous laws the Dems have passed and/or repealed is being felt in 2008, and whether or not that impact is correctly seen as being caused by them.
They have basically set the stage for an economic collapse in Colorado by:
1. Raising property tax rates by circumventing TABOR ( they are already worried about the impact of this one, which will be first felt next Spring),
2. writing into the state constitution that minimum wage rates must rise by 3 % each year
3. crippling the natural gas industry ( the only source of good jobs on the western slope) with excessive regulations and removing all federal land in the Roan Plateau area from drilling,
4. Cripping the home building industry in resort areas with excessive environmental standards, so that housing for regular people can't even be built,
5. Drastically revising workmans comp laws so that industries are sitting ducks for workman's comp lawyers, and a host of other goodies I feel too depressed to write about right now.
Add to this wonderful mix a new population of liberals from California who have never seen a real downturn in Colorado's economy, and you have all the ingrediants for a real fun time.