Today is June 27, 2024, and here’s what you need to know:

Colorado Republican officials submit petition to remove Dave Williams as state GOP chairman

Colorado Republican Party officials who want to fire state GOP chairman Dave Williams submitted a petition Wednesday demanding that Williams call a meeting of the party’s state central committee to consider whether to remove him from office.

Williams, a former Colorado Springs legislator, lost a primary Tuesday to former talk show host and conservative operative Jeff Crank for the 5th Congressional District seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn.

Fellow Republicans began gathering support to oust Williams earlier this month after he signed a mass email sent by the state party attacking the LGBTQ community’s Pride Month, referring to its participants as “godless groomers.”

Gassen overtakes Reagan in Dem primary for Colorado's 5th Congressional District

Overnight, educator River Gassen overtook her opponent Joe Reagan, a military veteran, in Tuesday’s 5th Congressional District Democratic primary election.

Unofficial returns from the Secretary of State’s Office last updated just before 1:15 a.m. showed Gassen leading Reagan by 459 votes, earning 20,639 votes, or 50.6%, to Reagan’s 20,180, or 49.4%. Reagan had maintained a narrow lead throughout much of the evening after results were first posted around 7:25 p.m. Tuesday.

Jacque Phillips defeats incumbent Rep. Julia Marvin in HD31 Democratic Primary

Jacque Phillips has unseated incumbent Rep. Julia Marvin in House District 31’s Democratic primary, securing 55% of the vote. 

Phillips, a civil rights attorney and former Thornton City Councilmember, told Colorado Politics her top priority if elected would be affordable housing, particularly for seniors. 

Elliott Hood wins Democratic primary for CU Board of Regents

Elliott Hood defeated challenger Charlie Johnson for the Democratic nomination for the open seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents on Tuesday night.

The at-large seat, which is currently held by Democrat Lesley Smith, is set to expire in early 2025.

Hood will move on to face Republican Eric Rinard in the November general election. The at-large seat is the only statewide race in the 2024 elections.

Colorado Supreme Court wary of letting judges restrict defense lawyers' work on postconviction claims

Members of the Colorado Supreme Court seemed sympathetic last week to the idea that trial judges, under the current rules for criminal cases, cannot restrict defense attorneys from investigating postconviction claims their clients raise when at least one of the claims has merit.

Convicted defendants may seek postconviction relief for specific reasons, including that their sentence is illegal, new evidence has come to light or their conviction violated the U.S. Constitution. Under the rules, a trial judge can deny a postconviction petition outright if the defendant is clearly not entitled to relief.