http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_6309223"Call it blowback from the Sagebrush Rebellion. The same region that took a turn for the hard right a generation ago is now trending blue. The secret in the story is said to be a lot of things - different, authentically Western Democrats, and maybe an influx of people from California - but it may be simpler than all that.
The descendants of the rebels themselves - today's Western youth - are leading the charge for a more Democratic West. If the trends continue, the Republican Party may find itself in a world of hurt.
The Millenial Generation, generally characterized as Americans born between 1978 and 2000, is the largest in American history. And as Millenials grow up and enter the voting booth, they are reworking the political landscape of the Mountain West.
In Montana, Millenials are credited with Sen. Jon Tester's margin of the victory. These voters made up 17 percent of the electorate and went for Tester over Republican incumbent Conrad Burns 56-44, according to exit polls."
More at link...
Being a western Millenial I can personally attest that even in Colorado Springs, the people I went to high school with were both more liberal than the adult population then (four years ago) and are now more liberal than ever. Hopefully this will continue well into the future.