Contrast with the current administration is a tempting explanation. By eschewing the red, white, and blue, aren’t the Democrats visually differentiating themselves from literal flag-hugger President Trump?

That might be one of the reasons, but it’s surely not the only one. In these bold new logos, Democrats are building unique messaging. Unlike Ocasio-Cortez’s use of purple, for example, Hickenlooper’s logo uses violet as the combination of Republican red and Democratic blue, representative of his politically osculating home state and his ability to work with both sides. Indeed, the first thing that came to my mind (after the Colorado Rockies’ logo) was the line purple mountains majesty from “America the Beautiful,” its own patriotic signposting (the star and stripes of the mountains also gently recall the flag). The parallel lines additionally give the whole image an optimistic, accelerating thrust.