The conservative policy-shaper Americans for Prosperity held its annual lobby day at the Capitol Thursday with a free box lunch for members and legislators who participated in their program.

No Democrats showed up to speak in the West Foyer of the state Capitol, though some joked that they liked the annual handouts from the organization that eschews government handouts. Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, showed off his collection of AFP swag in his office, but he didn’t show up later for the doughnuts or lunch offered by the organization.

House Republican Leader Patrick Neville explained the difference to the AFP crowd.

“It’s great to hear from good citizens,” Neville said. “We’re surrounded by a lot of different special interests down here at the Capitol, and they’re all arguing for more and more money. What they don’t realize a lot of times is that it’s your money.”

He added, “We want you to have more money in your pockets and less in the special interests up here. That way when you have more money, the economy grows, we all prosper and Colorado becomes more affordable.”

Neville and Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Cañon City, were the highest-ranked dignitaries who spoke.

Neville thanked AFP and its members for “giving us the support we need to argue on behalf of the individual citizen and not just for more government programs and more regulations and all the other bad stuff, and we can actually advocate on behalf of you, for private citizens.”

Grantham said after his address that he appreciated the AFP members for being at the Capitol to learn how to be “advocates for policies that affect us on a daily basis.”