Nothing spreads cheer like the prospect of being well prepared for the next election — at least in Colorado’s political circles, where the looming midterms promise to set off a scramble unlike anything seen in decades.

With the approaching double whammy in 2026 of every statewide executive office on the ballot and every incumbent in those offices facing term limits, candidates and their campaigns will no doubt sprout like wildflowers in a mountain meadow over the next year. Throw in one of the state’s U.S. Senate seats, a nationally targeted U.S. House district and the usual compliment of legislators and county officials, and Colorado is guaranteed one of the most jam-packed crops of office-seekers in memory.

That’s where our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide for political types comes in.

Whether it’s iconic footwear built for the campaign trail, rugged outerwear that screams “I’m running for office in Colorado,” or an array of essential electioneering tools such as up-to-date statewide voter lists and revealing self-opposition research, our curated list of can’t-miss presents — from stocking stuffers to extravagant show-stoppers — is sure to inspire.

We’ve assembled a dozen festive, bipartisan gifts for even the most hard-to-shop-for budding candidates, entrenched incumbents, campaign operatives and political dabblers. Short of entrusting them with your vote, it’s the next best way to show you care.

Note: prices and availability are subject to change but are accurate as of Dec. 12, 2024. Unlike many holiday gift guides, Trail Mix doesn’t get an affiliate kick-back from retailers, so rest assured that the likelihood of spreading joy was our only criteria.

Colorado flag lapel pin

If there’s one indispensable item in nearly every Colorado politician’s collection, it’s the ubiquitous state flag lapel pin. Heralding an unmistakable affinity for the red, white, blue and gold emblem that proudly waves overhead, the versatile accessory brightens every occasion, from the state Capitol to a county fair. Order from PinMart for the widest selection, with three variations — a rectangular Colorado pin in the shape of the state, a realistic waving state flag pin, or the crossed U.S. and Colorado flags pin. ($4.59 each, with substantial discounts for buying in bulk)

State travel maps

Even though Google maps and GPS-equipped cell phones are commonplace, nothing beats a handy road map stashed in the glove box, especially on those long rural stretches with spotty cell service. That’s why this durable, easy to fold Colorado travel map from Rand McNally is the perfect companion for those backroads trips between county assemblies, Lincoln Day Dinners and Democratic fundraisers sure to fill candidates’ calendars in the coming year. ($9.99 from the MapShop)

Crank it up a notch with the full-color, 104-page DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer: Colorado, featuring topographic maps that highlight everything from historic sites and scenic drives to prime fishing spots. ($29.95 from Rand McNally Publishing)

Augment your travels with the free Visitor’s Guide from the Colorado Tourism Office, chock full of local attractions, out-of-the-way destinations and annual events throughout the state. (Order for free, or preview a digital version)

Colorful Colorado socks

Show your spirit and display your state pride by wrapping your tootsies in a pair of mountaineering socks festooned with colorful elements of the Colorado flag from Golden-based YoColorado. Built for hiking, trekking and campaigning, these socks come in numerous over-the-calf varieties — we like the merino wool Ouray, pictured — and a shorter version that features the rugged silhouette of a mountain peaks above bright flag colors. ($19 Ouray Colorado Flag socks; $18 for Mountain Colorado Flag socks)

A Colorado political bookshelf

There’s no better way to grasp the state’s political terrain than than curling up with a trio of books that chronicle how Colorado got here and what went into building the leading politicians from both major parties.

Even at 14 years old, 2010’s gripping “The Blueprint: How the Democrats Won Colorado (and Why Republicans EVERYWHERE Should Care),” by Adam Schrager and Rob Witwer, remains a must-read account of the state’s transformation two decades ago from a Republican-leaning stronghold to the Democratic bastion it remains to this day. Many of the main players have retired or receded into the mists of history, but others — including Gov. Jared Polis — still dominate state politics, as does the campaign infrastructure Polis and his cohorts developed, though it’s evolved. ($11.02 from Lakewood-based Fulcrum Publishing)

John Hickenlooper, Polis’ predecessor in the governor’s mansion, gets downright personal in his often humorous 2016 memoir “The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics,” co-written with Maximillian Potter. From his days as a young geologist in Colorado’s backcountry to helping pioneer the brewpub craze, Hickenlooper’s unlikely, late-life entry into politics saw the underdog win election to two terms as Denver’s mayor followed by two terms as governor before — in events that occurred after the book’s publication — a brief run for president and his current job as Colorado’s junior U.S. senator. He’s running for a second term in 2026. ($29.07 from Amazon)

Lauren Boebert, the state’s senior Republican elected official, also charted an improbable course to higher office, from high school dropout with a job at McDonalds to gun-toting restaurant owner in the Western Colorado town of Rifle. Her 2022 memoir, “My American Life,” with a forward by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, describes the “100-pound, 5-foot-nothing” mom’s climb from growing up in a Democratic household to the pinnacle of conservative politics. ($15.59 from Amazon)

Jared Polis’ trademark blue sneakers

Colorado candidates can walk many a mile in the comfortable blue running shoes that carried Polis to election as governor in 2018, followed by his landslide reelection four years later. While the Democrat mixes it up now and then — he wore blue Nikes in a 2022 campaign commercial and sometimes sports a pair displaying the state flag design — it was Polis’ pair of therapeutic I-Runner Noble sneakers that inspired his first inauguration’s Blue Sneaker Ball and have been ensconced in History Colorado’s collection. ($108 from I-Runner)

Trump’s ‘Never Surrender’ gold high-tops

When Boebert won the GOP primary in her new congressional district this summer, she took the stage wearing a pair of Donald Trump-inspired gold high-top shoes to demonstrate her alignment with the once-and-future president, though Boebert told Westword that hers were less expensive “very China” knockoffs, rather than the limited edition $399 model. While the official Get Trump Sneakers online store has since released numerous additional versions, including some aimed at the crypto crowd, what appear to be the originals can be found on the eBay e-commerce site. ($130 on eBay)

The mayor’s jacket

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston cuts a distinctive figure in all but the warmest weather in his signature tan corduroy, sherpa-lined jacket, even asking on social media “Who wore it better?” when Taylor Swift showed up on the cover of Time clad in a nearly identical garment. Johnston revealed to Denver City Cast that it’s a Wrangler, pegging the very Colorado coat — boasting “double the warmth and an understated vintage vibe” — as the western wear brand’s Corduroy Trucker Jacket, in Acorn. ($89.99 from Wrangler, with a stylish women’s version for $109)

Navy blue Patagonia fleece

Nothing says “Colorado Senate candidate” quite like donning a well-worn navy blue Patagonia fleece on the campaign trail, as evidenced by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, who both, in fact, own suits but more often rub elbows in political circles while wearing the classic outdoor essential. The fleece comes in several varieties, but Hickenlooper’s many challengers should stick with the “light, ultra soft” Micro-D Fleece Jacket for that unmistakable Rocky Mountain vibe. ($99 from Patagonia)

Trump ‘Fight Fight Fight’ perfume

Smell like MAGA all day long wearing the limited-edition Trump Fragrances “Fight Fight Fight” perfume for women “who embody strength and grace, like President Trump.” Described as an “elegant scent” that “blends delicate floral notes and a burst of citrus for an elegant finish” and delivered in a box that features Trump’s iconic raised-fist image, the perfume represents “confidence, resilience, and victory.” ($199 from Trump Sneakers)

State voter file subscription service

Give the gift that’ll keep on giving through the 2026 general election — and beyond — with an electronic subscription to regularly updated voter data from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Included in the downloadable package is the statewide registered voter list, the master voter history report, and rosters of overseas voters, polling centers, delivered and returned ballots and ballots available to cure. Useful for candidates, issue committees and pollsters, it’s everything publicly available in an easy-to-use bundle. ($1,000 for the two-year cycle from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office)

Self oppo research package

There’s no better gift for anyone considering running for office than a professional opposition research file digging into the potential candidate, known as self oppo. Although it isn’t his full-time job anymore, veteran Democratic operative, political workers’ union organizer and columnist Logan Davis knows how to find where the bodies are buried and how to unearth any skeletons that can rattle even the best-run campaign. ($1,000 for 10 hours of oppo research from Logan Davis)

Rent Denver’s Buell theater

Two of the Democrats who ran against Lauren Boebert this year filmed campaign ads in the Buell Theater, highlighting the scandal that engulfed the Republican’s reelection bid after she was ejected from a performance of the musical “Beetlejuice” for disruptive behavior in September 2023. Paving the way for Boebert’s future challengers, John Padora narrated his campaign launch video sitting in the same seat that Boebert occupied on that fateful night, while Trisha Calvarese sat amid union members as she challenged Boebert to a televised debate. (Padora spent $8,300 to rent the theater from Denver Arts & Venues)

Ernest Luning has covered politics for Colorado Politics and its predecessor publication, The Colorado Statesman, since 2009. He’s analyzed the exploits, foibles and history of state campaigns and politicians since 2018 in the weekly Trail Mix column.

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