YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A WEATHER MAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS: Ed Perlmutter says he won’t seek reelection, upending Colorado’s 2022 political landscape.

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided not to run for reelection,” the Arvada Democrat said in a written statement. “I’ve never shied away from a challenge but it’s time for me to move on and explore other opportunities. There comes a time when you pass the torch to the next generation of leaders.”

Perlmutter, 68, was elected to Congress in 2006. He represents the 7th Congressional District anchored in Jefferson County.

The district was redrawn as part of Colorado’s once-a-decade redistricting process, becoming more competitive and shifting west to include mountain counties including Lake, Chaffee, Park and Fremont.

The new 7th District is forecast to favor Democrats by 7 percentage points. That’s based on an analysis of the results of eight statewide races between 2016 and 2020.

If an incumbent is worried a seven-point advantage might not be enough…