Democrats Are Projected To Lose A Crucial Senate Seat In Colorado

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colorado) is set to lose his re-election race Tuesday night, delivering a significant blow to Democratic hopes of keeping the Senate, according to projections from Fox News and the Associated Press.

Udall was facing off against Rep. Cory Gardner (R), who was widely considered an underdog for most of the race. President Barack Obama won the swing state in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

However, after a highly negative campaign, Gardner started to gain ground in the polls and eventually overtook the incumbent in the closing weeks of the race. Among other things, Udall focused much of his time accusing Gardner of being wrong on women's issues.

The contest was one of eight highly competitive races for Senate Republicans, who are aiming to retake control of their chamber.