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Colorado Politics

Colorado Primary Sends Shockwaves Through State and National Politics
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Primary Sends Shockwaves Through State and National Politics

By: Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Voters in Colorado’s Democratic primary on Tuesday night mostly let their elected officials know that they’re fed up with the party’s Washington politicians and ready to back the most aggressive fighters they can find. At the same time, the voters who cast ballots in the Republican primary mostly embraced the GOP’s establishment, throwing the beleaguered party a potential lifeline in a state that hasn’t rewarded the party’s candidates with statewide wins in the last decade. It was a mixed bag for the two camps, as early frontrunners fell or struggled to keep it close in one of the most wide-open primaries the state has seen in years, with some standout exceptions keeping the night from delivering a simple message. Democratic...
Energy Secretary Chris Wright Pushes Expanding Energy Supply To Lower Costs In Colorado
Colorado Politics, Approved, National

Energy Secretary Chris Wright Pushes Expanding Energy Supply To Lower Costs In Colorado

By: Mark Samuelson | Colorado Politics As a heatwave in the U.S. and Europe punctuated widespread calls for recommitments to solar and other “renewable” sources, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright doubled down on America’s current policy, telling a Thornton crowd on Monday that energy goals would be fixed on increasing the nation’s capacity — no matter what the source. “I went to college to work on fusion energy. I worked on solar energy in graduate school, and geothermal energy right after,” Wright told the Colorado audience. “I don’t care where the energy comes from,” Wright said. “The lights are kept on by gas, coal and nuclear. We have got to grow the capacity, and we are majorly focused on that.” Wright’s visit to Colorado coincides with new calls for le...
New Internal Poll Shows Weiser Surging Past Bennet in Democratic Governor Primary
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

New Internal Poll Shows Weiser Surging Past Bennet in Democratic Governor Primary

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Attorney General Phil Weiser holds a lead over U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet among likely voters less than a week before ballots are due in Colorado’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, according to a new poll released Thursday by a group backing Weiser. The survey, conducted Wednesday and Thursday by Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, found Weiser with 45% support to Bennet’s 36%, with 19% undecided. Fighting for Colorado, a state super PAC formed to support Weiser, commissioned the poll, which has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. PPP interviewed 600 likely voters — including Democrats and unaffiliated voters who said they’ll cast ballots in the Democratic primary — using a mix of automated calls to landline phones and text ...
Attorneys No Longer Required to Sign Immigration Certification in Colorado Courts
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Attorneys No Longer Required to Sign Immigration Certification in Colorado Courts

By Nico Brambila | Colorado Politics One year and 12 days. That’s how long a Colorado law requiring attorneys to certify they would not use court data for federal immigration enforcement remained on the books before lawmakers repealed it. Gov. Jared Polis signed the initial legislation, Senate Bill 25-276, on May 23, 2025. That legislation extended to the courts a law prohibiting disclosure of information for the purpose of assisting in federal immigration enforcement. The governor signed the modification to that law via House Bill 26-1276 on June 4. That modification exempted the Colorado courts’ e-filing system from the requirement that users certify they would not disclose information for the purpose of federal immigration enforcement. M...
Colorado Medicaid Freezes Payments to Home Health Agency Facing Fraud Investigation
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Medicaid Freezes Payments to Home Health Agency Facing Fraud Investigation

By: David Migoya | Colorado Politics The agency overseeing Colorado’s federal Medicaid program has suspended an Aurora home-health agency that is the focus of an investigation into an enterprise that lured dozens of homeless people with promises of free housing and cash and reaped tens of millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements. Officials said it has stopped paying Medicaid claims filed by On Going Home Health Care pending the outcome of its inquiry into “The Program,” an elaborate and intertwined confederation of businesses that provided shelter, money and prescriptions to homeless participants in return for billing the federal program for administering the drugs. The Program was the center of a Denver Gazette investigation last month that exposed how On Going ...
GOP Candidate Michael Allen Calls for Return to Basics on Crime and Public Safety
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

GOP Candidate Michael Allen Calls for Return to Basics on Crime and Public Safety

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics Michael Allen said he is running for attorney general because he believes Colorado’s criminal justice system has been weakened by recent legislation and that rising crime is directly increasing the cost of living. A Navy veteran and longtime prosecutor, Allen argued that Colorado needs an attorney general who focuses on public safety, rather than on “political lawsuits,” and who understands how crime drives up insurance rates, retail prices and business costs. He said his goal is to “get back to basics” — reducing crime to reduce costs. Allen is running against David Willson in the Republican primary. The winner of the GOP primary will advance to the general election to face one of the four Democratic candidates: Jena Griswol...
Crank Says Colorado Springs Needs Results Not Anti-Trump Politics From Democrats
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Crank Says Colorado Springs Needs Results Not Anti-Trump Politics From Democrats

By Vince Bzdek | Colorado Politics For U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, who’s unopposed in the Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District but the main target of both candidates in the lively Democratic primary, the big question in the midterms is not who will stand up to President Donald Trump best. “The question, and I think this will be one in this race, is, does this community just want somebody who’s anti-Trump to fight and push back on Trump? Or do they want somebody who, no matter who the president is, whether it’s Joe Biden or Donald Trump, is going to go try and work to represent this community and get the best things for this community that they can?” Crank has been criticized by the Democratic candidates Jessica Killin and Joe Reagan for not standing up to Tr...
New Colorado Laws Bring Major Changes July 1 for Gun Buyers, Homeowners, and Hunters
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

New Colorado Laws Bring Major Changes July 1 for Gun Buyers, Homeowners, and Hunters

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Colorado will usher in a new set of laws on July 1 that touch everything from ammunition sales to insurance transparency and wildlife trafficking enforcement. Here is a look at some of the state’s new laws: Ammunition sales Sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver, and Sens. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, and Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, House Bill 25-1133 raises the minimum age to purchase ammunition from 18 to 21 years old. The bill also requires written notice to delivery drivers transporting boxes of ammunition, requires them to verify that the recipient is at least 21 and directs sellers to store ammunition in a secure area inaccessible to customers with...
Colorado Gun Rights Group Challenges New Firearms Dealer Law in Court
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Gun Rights Group Challenges New Firearms Dealer Law in Court

By: Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A firearms group has filed a lawsuit challenging a recently signed law expanding regulations for firearms dealers in Colorado. House Bill 26-1126 clarifies that firearms dealers must hold both a federal and state license to operate. The bill also allows the Department of Revenue to fine dealers up to $100,000 for second or subsequent violations of certain requirements. Additionally, HB 1126 expands record-keeping requirements to apply to all firearm purchases, rather than just pistols and revolvers. It includes certain requirements for gun shops, such as that dealers must safely store large-capacity magazines, have certain security features on all doors and windows and be equipped with an alarm system that includes video s...
Transportation Funding Showdown Continues Between Lawmakers And Initiative Backers
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Transportation Funding Showdown Continues Between Lawmakers And Initiative Backers

By: Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics The standoff over Colorado’s road‑funding initiative will continue after supporters declined state lawmakers’ request to withdraw the measure, while both sides signaled they are still willing to pursue a broader agreement ahead of the fall deadline. Initiative No. 175, backed by the coalition Restore Our Roads, would require that all transportation-related revenue be used exclusively for building and repairing roads and bridges, improving safety, conducting transportation planning and engineering, and supporting Colorado State Patrol operations. A petition for the measure received over 180,000 signatures and is currently being reviewed by the Secretary of State’s Office. To qualify for the November ballot, just over 124,000 of ...