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More than $22 million has been spent on five of Denver’s 12 ballot initiatives
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

More than $22 million has been spent on five of Denver’s 12 ballot initiatives

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics More than $22 million has been spent on campaigns surrounding five of the 12 initiatives that will appear on Denver's November ballot, covering topics like animal welfare, sales tax increases and expanded union bargaining rights. Follow this link to see a breakdown of what each of the five initiatives are, how much has been spent for or against them, and their top contributors as of Sept. 23.  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
J.D. Vance, potentially the next VP, set to attend high-dollar fundraiser in Denver in October
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J.D. Vance, potentially the next VP, set to attend high-dollar fundraiser in Denver in October

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is scheduled to headline a fundraiser hosted by former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in Denver in October, with tickets starting at $3,300 apiece, according to an invitation to the event. Set for Oct. 8 at an undisclosed location, the fundraiser, billed as an evening reception, will be the Ohio senator's first publicly announced visit to Colorado this year. Last month, shortly after naming Vance as his running mate, former President Donald Trump attended a private fundraiser in Aspen with tickets priced as high as $500,000 per couple. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado Springs man sues Rep. Elisabeth Epps, attorney general for blocking him on X
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Colorado Springs man sues Rep. Elisabeth Epps, attorney general for blocking him on X

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A Colorado Springs man is suing Rep. Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver, for blocking him on X (formerly Twitter), an act he alleges violates his First Amendment rights.  According to the lawsuit, which names Epps in both her official capacity as a legislator and her personal capacity as a Colorado resident and Colorado Attorney Philip Weiser in his personal capacity, Epps blocked Michael Freeman from her @elisabethepps X account following an exchange about a bill she was sponsoring during the 2024 legislative session.  Freeman, who describes himself as "politically independent and a staunch advocate for constitutional rights and rational legislation," goes by the handle @TheAntiGrifter and frequently posts and retweets right-leaning conten...
Candidates for Colorado Board of Education agree state falls short in education funding, teacher pay
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Candidates for Colorado Board of Education agree state falls short in education funding, teacher pay

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics While not all of the candidates running for a seat on the State Board of Education are in head-to-head matchups against each other heading into the November election, the seven candidates agree that not enough money is going toward funding public education in Colorado. Bluntly putting it, Democratic candidate Kathy Gebhardt said, “I can’t think of any place that it’s not failing” when it comes to the state’s public education funding. Starting with operations, Gebhardt, who is running unopposed in District 2, said teachers need to be paid adequate salaries, which creates teacher shortages. While some lawmakers have paid more attention to special education programs, which are seeing more funding, the money remains insufficient, she said.  READ...
Americans are exhausted with high-stakes election described in apocalyptic terms, experts say
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Americans are exhausted with high-stakes election described in apocalyptic terms, experts say

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics “Exhausted.” That's how Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly summed up how he believes voters are feeling about how politics is affecting society.  The Republican sheriff said his deputies have not really dealt with many calls arising out of political disputes. But the tension exists, he said. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Mayor, supporters launch campaign for $100M sales tax hike for housing in Denver
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Mayor, supporters launch campaign for $100M sales tax hike for housing in Denver

By The Denver Gazette (via coloradopolitics.com) Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and supporters on Wednesday launched the campaign to ask Denver voters this November to increase the city's sales tax and generate $100 million for housing.  “In every neighborhood in Denver, people are grappling with the fear of not making rent or covering their mortgage,” Johnston said in a news release. “Seniors worry they may have to leave the homes where they’ve built their lives. The hardworking people who keep our city thriving — from teachers and nurses to restaurant workers and firefighters — are being pushed out of the city they love." Referring to the ballot proposal, Johnston said Measure 2R will help "preserve our city's diversity and ensure that housing remains affordable, atta...
In new ad, Republican Jeff Hurd vows to prioritize expanding access to health care in rural Colorado
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In new ad, Republican Jeff Hurd vows to prioritize expanding access to health care in rural Colorado

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Republican congressional candidate Jeff Hurd hits the road to talk health care in a TV ad his campaign released Wednesday in Colorado's sprawling 3rd Congressional District. "I remember when mom got really sick with cancer, we had to travel out of state for help," says Hurd as he navigates a wide-open highway from behind the wheel of a pickup truck in the 30-second spot. "Today, some Coloradans have to travel for hours for even the most basic care. We can do better." Adds Hurd: "I'll make expanding health care access for rural Colorado a top priority. Protect Social Security and Medicare. I'll always remember who I'm fighting for." READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Who is in charge? Colorado lawmakers press wildlife officials about wolves
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Who is in charge? Colorado lawmakers press wildlife officials about wolves

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Colorado's lawmakers on Wednesday pressed wildlife officials about the state's wolf reintroduction production, including pointed questions from a legislator about who exactly is making decisions and to what extent the governor's office is influencing actions.  More specifically, Sen. Dylan Robert, D-Eagle, asked who's running the show at Colorado Parks and Wildlife — the agency or the governor. "Can the public trust that (decisions) are being managed exclusively by the experts, biologists, scientists and you as appointed head of the department?" Roberts asked. "Can the public trust you have the ultimate decision-making authority, or are there other people weighing in here?"  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
‘Largest deportation’ in history to begin in Aurora, Springfield (Ohio), Trump says
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‘Largest deportation’ in history to begin in Aurora, Springfield (Ohio), Trump says

By Luige Del Puerto and Nico Brambila | Colorado Politics Republican candidate Donald Trump on Friday promised to execute the "largest deportation" in American history, which he said will begin in Aurora, Colorado, and Springfield, Ohio — two cities in the middle of a political firestorm following reports of a Venezuelan gang infiltrating apartment complexes in the former and claims of immigrants eating household pets in the latter.    "We're going to have the largest deportation in the history of our country, and we're going to start with Springfield and Aurora," Trump said at a press conference at his golf resort near Los Angeles. "We're bringing them back to Venezuela," the former president also said, asserting anew that a notorious gang from the troubled South Americ...