Hillary Clinton won the national popular vote. Donald Trump won the White House. The contradiction is generating renewed interest across the nation for an effort to elect the president by a national popular vote within the Electoral College. Colorado holds a special place in the debate. More than a decade ago, the state Senate became the first legislative body in the nation to pass a national popular vote, according to the organization leading the effort. The measure never won final approval, but 10 Democratic lawmakers sponsored a similar bill that will get a hearing Wednesday. Under Senate Bill 99, Colorado would award its nine electoral college votes to the candidate that wins the most votes nationwide, rather than the one that receives the most votes in the state.