Colorado Politics

 Democrat Michael Bennet turns in petitions for Colorado’s gubernatorial primary, plans to skip caucuses

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democratic candidate for governor, submitted nominating petitions for Colorado’s June primary ballot on Friday, his campaign and the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office said. Bennet plans to rely on his petitions to get on the...

 Former House member picked to fill Senate vacancy in Colorado

A vacancy committee on Thursday night chose a former House legislator to replace former Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who resigned on Feb. 13 to become the director of the David and Laura Merage Foundation for Combating Antisemitism. Adrienne Benavidez —...

 Colorado delegation’s plus-one picks convey messages at Donald Trump’s State of the Union | TRAIL MIX

It’s become a tradition for members of Congress to deliver messages of their own at the State of the Union address, though this year none of the Colorado lawmakers shouted at the president during the speech, nor did the delegation...

 Colorado Democrat John Hickenlooper becomes first statewide candidate to submit nominating petitions

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper on Thursday became the first statewide candidate to submit petition signatures for Colorado’s June Democratic primary, according to his campaign and the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Seeking reelection to a second term, Hickenlooper is facing...

 Colorado lawmakers react along partisan lines to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address

President Donald Trump could have been describing two different countries in Tuesday’s State of the Union address — one entering a “Golden Age” and the other enduring daily stress under a “lawless” regime — at least as far as the...

 Colorado group files 6 ballot measures to counter redistricting proposals backed by Democrats

A half-dozen congressional redistricting ballot measures were filed Friday by a Colorado advocacy group in response to proposals filed last week from a group seeking to flip three Republican-held U.S. House seats in two years. “The gist of it is...

 Trump pulls endorsement from Jeff Hurd over tariffs, backs Colorado Republican’s primary challenger

President Donald Trump on Saturday rescinded his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd and threw his support behind the Colorado Republican’s primary challenger, Hope Scheppelman, citing the first-term incumbent’s “lack of support” for the administration’s tariff policy. The move comes...

 At least 6 candidates vying to replace former Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet

Sometime in the next 24 days, a vacancy committee for Senate District 21 will hold an election to choose a successor to former Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. Michaelson Jenet resigned on Feb. 13 to take a job as...

 In a meeting Colorado GOP chair Brita Horn calls ‘illegal,’ Republicans vote to demand her resignation

Roughly half the membership of the Colorado Republican Party’s state central committee on Saturday voted overwhelmingly to approve a resolution expressing “no confidence” in state GOP Chairman Brita Horn’s leadership and calling for her immediate resignation in an online meeting...

 Democrats Michael Bennet, Phil Weiser make their cases to be Colorado’s next governor ahead of primary

Nearly eight months before ballots will be counted in Colorado’s race for the its open gubernatorial seat, voters are lining up behind two of the state’s leading Democrats, who are facing off in a primary that will likely determine which...

 Colorado GOP officers set competing meetings to hold ‘no-confidence’ votes on state chair Brita Horn

Once again, members of the Colorado Republican Party’s central committee have scheduled separate, competing meetings to consider whether the state GOP’s governing body supports its chair, but this time neither meeting will be held under a bridge. State GOP Chair...

 Colorado Democratic candidate submitted 1,600 signatures — only 29 were valid

When he turned in some 1,600 signatures last month, Eric Nelson said it demonstrated “strong grassroots support from voters” across the district and a “growing momentum” for his “inclusive, community-centered leadership.” On Thursday, the Secretary of State rejected Nelson’s petition...

 U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet: ‘It’s right to suspend’ wolf program in Colorado

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who is running for governor, told a newspaper this month that he favors suspending Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program. “I think it’s right to suspend it for now and to try to see whether there’s any way...

 Hickenlooper endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action, environmental group in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race

A pair of progressive national groups that advocate for abortion rights and fighting climate change have endorsed U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper’s bid for reelection, with both calling the Colorado Democrat a proven fighter for their causes. Planned Parenthood Action Fund...

 Colorado title board OKs language of ballot measure to privatize Pinnacol Assurance

The state’s title board on Wednesday unanimously voted to approve the wording of a ballot measure that would allow Pinnacol Assurance, the state’s workers’ compensation insurance provider of last resort, to privatize. Behind ballot measure No. 218 is Colorado Succeeds,...

 National redistricting fight reaches Colorado with ballot measures targeting GOP-held congressional districts

A Democratic-aligned group backed by the House Majority PAC filed four versions of a 2026 ballot measure Tuesday that would temporarily suspend Colorado’s independent congressional redistricting commission and redraw the state’s map in an effort to flip three Republican-held U.S....

 Ballot measure seeks to enshrine ‘right to know’ government affairs in Colorado Constitution

A ballot measure filed Friday would enshrine people’s “fundamental right to know” the affairs of governments, thereby overturning a 2024 law that, critics said, now allows lawmakers to shield their activities from the public. Supported by by groups that aren’t...

 Democrat Shannon Bird qualifies by petition for primary ballot in Colorado’s toss-up 8th CD

Former state Rep. Shannon Bird has qualified for the Democratic primary ballot in Colorado’s hotly contested 8th Congressional District by submitting a sufficient number of petition signatures, state election officials said this week. The winner of the Democrats’ June 30...

 ‘There will be costs,’ warns Jason Crow after failed indictments for ‘illegal orders’ video | TRAIL MIX

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, the Aurora Democrat who represents Colorado’s 6th Congressional District, signaled this week that he’s considering pursuing legal action against members of the Trump administration after a federal grand jury in Washington declined to indict Crow and...

 Hickenlooper, Crow plan to donate campaign cash from Palantir execs to immigrant rights nonprofits

Two Democratic members of Colorado’s congressional delegation said this week that they plan to donate more than $100,000 received in campaign contributions from current and former employees of Denver-based firm Palantir Technologies to local nonprofits that assist immigrants and support...

 Colorado Republicans set meeting to restrain state chair Brita Horn, but she says they can’t do that

A Colorado Republican Party officer has scheduled a meeting of the party’s state central committee to consider whether to curb state GOP chair Brita Horn’s spending authority and hold a confidence vote in her leadership, but Horn said the party...

 National Democrats add Republican Jeff Crank in Colorado’s 5th CD to list of targeted GOP-held seats

The House Democrats’ campaign arm on Tuesday added U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District to its list of targeted seats held by Republicans as the party aims to flip control of the chamber in this year’s midterm...

 Colorado Title Board rejects challenges to graduated income tax ballot measure

The state body that determines whether a ballot measure contains a single subject has rejected challenges to eight versions of the push to change Colorado’s flat rate to a graduated income tax, thereby increasing the taxes on higher income earners....

 President Pro Tem Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet to resign from Colorado Senate

A top Democrat in the Colorado General Assembly is resigning to take a new job. President Pro Tem Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet of Commerce City, who has served in the General Assembly since 2017, will become the director of the...

 Colorado GOP Chair Brita Horn rebuffs critics as fellow party officer greenlights ‘no-confidence’ vote

A Colorado Republican Party officer said last week that a move by party officials to impose restrictions on state GOP chair Brita Horn and hold a “no-confidence” vote on her leadership can proceed. Horn, however, told Colorado Politics that the...

 Evans challenger Evan Munsing qualifies by petition for Democratic primary ballot in Colorado’s 8th CD

Thornton Democrat Evan Munsing, one of three major Democratic candidates challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans’ bid for a second term, became the first candidate to qualify for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District primary after submitting a sufficient number of valid...

 Boebert’s top Dem challengers set fundraising, spending pace heading into election year | TRAIL MIX

As multiple candidates across Colorado have demonstrated in recent years, challenging US Rep. Lauren Boebert could be the most lucrative campaign fundraising pitch yet discovered in the state. For the umpteenth time, Democrats hoping to unseat the Republican congresswoman have...

 Proposal targets dual office-holding by Colorado legislators | Bills in brief

Colorado lawmakers introduce hundreds of bills each year. Bills in brief cuts through the noise by explaining which proposals matter, what’s at stake, and how decisions at the Capitol could affect everyday life across the state. A bill set for...

 Colorado GOP vice chair Richard Holtorf resigns, says it’s ‘impossible’ to work with chair Brita Horn

Colorado Republican Party Vice Chair Richard Holtorf notified GOP officials on Tuesday that he will step down from the party position at the end of the month, citing his inability to work with state chair Brita Horn. Holtorf, a third-generation...

 Colorado delegation splits in House vote to end federal government shutdown

Colorado’s U.S. House members divided mostly along party lines Tuesday in separate votes on a funding deal to end the federal government’s partial shutdown, while giving Congress more time to negotiate long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers...