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Nationally, Dems Fired Up! Historic Turnout Not Just in Colorado! |
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By now, you have probably heard that in addition to Colorado's historic Super Tuesday turnout back in March, Colorado also shattered turnout in last Tuesday's June 30th non-presidential primary! Specifically, while 1.2 million Coloradans turned in ballots in 2018, 1.6 million Coloradans turned in ballots in 2020! |
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Blown away yet? Not so fast -- here's the really cool part. Democratic ballots turned in outpaced Republican ballots 918,374 to 565,805. More amazing still, the number of unaffiliateds who participated in the Democratic primary compared to the Republican primary was nearly triple. |
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That's not all though! It isn't just Colorado -- while Colorado's gold standard vote by mail system clearly helped, Democrats are rising up all across the country and smashing down voter suppression tactics to vote at record turnout! |
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Kentucky on track for historic primary turnout From CBS News
Kentucky is on track for historic voter turnout in Tuesday's primary election, setting a new record, with over 1 million people expected to cast ballots this year.
Until now the largest presidential primary election in the state took place in 2008, when 922,000 votes were cast. In 2012, less than half that number voted — about 450,000 — and 670,000 cast a ballot in 2016. Kentucky officials attribute this year's surge to changes allowing people greater access to voting absentee by mail. Also, at the end of 2019, the state restored the voting rights of more than 150,000 convicted felons who have completed their sentences.
Joe Biden has already clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, but one of the key races to watch is the Kentucky Senate Democratic primary, as state Representative Charles Booker seemed to be gaining on establishment favorite Amy McGrath in the race that will decide who takes on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.
UPDATE: Amy McGrath has won this primary and will face off against Mitch McConnell in November.
About 868,000 people requested absentee ballots for the primary, and by Tuesday morning, over 530,000 absentee ballots had been returned. According to one official, the state is expecting 90% of those ballots to be returned, including 30 to 40% on primary day or the day after, as has been the case in other states holding elections by mail. In prior years, absentee ballots made up about 1.5% of the primary vote. Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 23.
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Aren't you glad this ISN'T Colorado? This is Georgia -- where voter suppression laws are rampant. |
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Voter turnout soared in Georgia despite massive primary day problems From NBC News
Despite massive problems at the voting booth, Democratic turnout in Georgia's primaries skyrocketed — with three times as many votes cast in the Senate primary as in 2016.
With 91 percent of the vote in as of Friday, nearly 960,000 voters had cast ballots in the Democratic Senate primary race won by Jon Ossoff, compared to 310,000 who voted in the Senate primary in 2016.
The Democratic turnout was also higher than it was in the gubernatorial primary in 2018, which saw 550,000 ballots cast.
"This was extraordinarily high turnout for a primary — way beyond what we've seen in previous primary elections," Alan Abramowitz, a political science professor at Atlanta's Emory University, told NBC News.
"The bottom line is that, despite all of the problems at the polls on Tuesday, it appears that there was a big increase in turnout over 2018, especially on the Democratic side," Abramowitz said. "And over 900,000 votes cast in the Democratic Senate primary blows the 310,000 votes cast in the 2016 Democratic Senate primary out of the water."
Voting rights groups have called Tuesday's primary a disaster, with voters across the state, particularly in counties where the majority of residents are not white, faced issues including long lines, problems with voting machines and a lack of available ballots.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said he was launching an investigation into the "unacceptable" problems, which he blamed on local election officials in mostly minority counties.
Those officials blamed Raffensperger, saying the responsibility to train, prepare and equip election staff to deal with new election machinery used on Tuesday was his.
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So, what does this mean? It means that the energy is on our side! While Democrats are shattering voter turnout records, Republicans have a serious enthusiasm problem. BUT WE HAVEN'T WON YET.
November 3 is only a few months away, and we can't stop working until we defeat Trump, Cory Gardner, Lauren Boebert, Doug Lamborn, Ken Buck, and all Republicans up and down the ticket! Get involved by clicking the button below and join our talent bank! |
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Bob's Corner: Now More Than Ever is the Time to Come Together!
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I am proud to belong to a party of passionate people who can be counted on to fight for what they believe! That passion and the core principles that drive it were on full display during our recent primary.
Now we must now turn that passion to stopping Donald Trump, defeating Cory Gardner, and increasing the Democratic majority in the House. We need to hold Gardner, Ken Buck, and Doug Lamborn accountable for inflicting Trump’s incompetence on America. We need to make sure that Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, Ed Perlmutter, and Diane DeGette can continue their important work as part of the Democratic majority in the House. And we need to make absolutely sure that Diane Mitsch Bush is there to stop even more Republican insanity.
Trump, Gardner, and the rest of the Republican enablers are an existential threat to Democracy and the United States. You see it in their botched handling of the pandemic. You saw it when Trump ordered the use of guns and teargas on peaceful protesters in Washington. You see it when Donald Trump retweets the hate speech of White Supremacists and the Republicans are silent. You see it in their strategy of voter suppression. Through all of this, Cory Gardner is silent, more concerned with protecting the President than in representing the people of Colorado.
John Hickenlooper will not be silent. Joe Biden will not attack Americans as they exercise their constitutional rights. And our Democratic members of Congress will continue to work for what is best for Colorado and the United States.
But we cannot stop there. We must maintain and build on the Democratic majority in the Colorado legislature. Voter suppression happens at the state level. Protection for women’s rights begins at the state level. LGTBQ protections started in state legislatures long before anything happened at the federal level. Down ballot elections are crucial if we are going to protect our way of life here in Colorado. We cannot allow Ken Buck’s Republicans to do to Colorado what Trump is trying to do to the rest of the country.
We are a passionate people. Between now and November, that passion must be entirely focused on getting rid of Trump and the Republicans that support him. Nothing else matters because nothing else can happen until Trump, Gardner, and the rest of the Trump Cult are gone.
Work and vote for Joe Biden. Work and vote for John Hickenlooper. Support our down ballot candidates, whether they’re running for state legislature or for the local school board. Let’s commit to working until we create a Blue wave all across this country.
We have work to do. Let’s start doing it today. |
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Meet the Candidates! |
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Welcome Erica! |
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Please join us in welcoming Erica Pike, our new Administrative Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the team! |
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Hello Colorado Dems!
My name is Erica Pike and I'm so excited to joining Team Blue as an Administrative Coordinator. After studying Dance Therapy and Nutrition on the East Coast, I began seeking ways to change the systems that impact health and wellbeing in communities. I have managed public health advocacy and electoral campaigns with a focus on a more equitable and just future. Back in my home state of Massachusetts, I've managed coalitions, hosted story slams, served as an AmeriCorps member, and taught leadership and advocacy at community colleges. You can often find me riding my bicycle, digging in my garden, and meeting new people (at an appropriate 6 foot distance).
As a newcomer to Colorado, I moved out west to 1. help my partner's family business, Wax Trax Records, an icon of the musical and cultural scene of Denver, and 2. put my experience in political and community organizing to good use. I can't think of a better use for my talents than working for the Democratic Party during such a critical election year.
Each one of us has something to offer this moment and we need ALL of us to create a better future. This includes flipping the Senate seat held by Cory Gardner, reclaiming the White House AND securing democratic leadership all the way down the ballot. I'm excited to put my experience and energy behind Democrats and invite you to join me. |
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This Week In Making a Difference |
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Join Our Talent Bank! |
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Colorado Democrats are run by PEOPLE POWER, and the only way we're going to defeat Cory Gardner and Donald Trump is by working together! EVERYONE has a talent -- whether it's writing, programming, designing, speaking 2nd or 3rd language, or managing data, we need all Coloradans of all talents who want to elect Democrats to get in the game!
So, what are you waiting for? Click here or the button below to sign up for our Talent Bank, and let us know how you can contribute to a blue wave in 2020! |
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2020 Win Stops -- Virtual Edition! |
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Be on the lookout for your invite! |
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SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, July 11 at 5:00PM Winning in Medium Swing Districts (Broomfield, Garfield, La Plata)! |
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Work for the 2020 Wave Webinars |
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SAVE THE DATE for our upcoming "Work for the Wave" webinars! |
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Monday, July 13, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST Down Ballot Races (Hosted by Karin Asensio and David Pourshoushtari) The Presidency and the U.S. Senate aren't the important seats that are up for grabs this November. It's important that Dems win everywhere -- from district attorneys' offices to school board, winning down ballot races is critical to building a permanently blue state. Learn how! (Keep an eye out for an invite!) |
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Monday, July 20, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST E-Canvassing 101 (Hosted by Karin Asensio and Tyler McDermott) In this era of social distancing, campaigning looks a lot different than it typically does. Have no fear though -- there are still effective techniques to reaching voters! Learn how with our volunteer coordinator and our statewide field director! |
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Monday, August 3, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST The Art and Science of Persuasion (Hosted by Morgan Carroll) How do we cut through the noise and convince voters to vote Democratic not just in 2020, but beyond? Check out this webinar that'll focus on how the choosing of words and messages can make all the difference! (Keep an eye out for an invite!) |
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Monday, August 10, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST Conflict Prevention and Resolution Campaigns can be an incredibly stressful and contentious environment -- but resolving conflicts that arise internally is critical to winning! Learn how to prevent and resolve conflict within your own teams to optimize team performance and efficiency. (Keep an eye out for an invite!) |
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Progressive Dems Initiative Meeting! Thursday, July 16, 2020 @ 7:00PM |
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We are very excited to welcome all members to our first Zoom call to kick off the 2020 general election campaign.
Join us Thursday, July 16th, at 7 pm, and we will briefly introduce you to our new executive board and discuss our plans for 2020.
Look forward to seeing you all then!
Rob Eadie Outreach Director Progressive Democrats of Colorado |
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HELP WANTED: New Positions to Apply For! |
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We're staffing up in preparation for the 2020 General Election! Colorado is a battleground state, and we're looking for scrappy, driven, politically savvy organizers to join our team!
Job Descriptions:
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Local Candidates of the Week |
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Candidate: Karl Hanlon
Office Running for: Colorado Senate District 8
Why this matters: Senate District 8 has been in Republican control for years (currently held by Bob Rankin, previously held by Randy Baumgardner). This is a seat that -- if Dems can flip it -- will help solidify a Democratic majority in the Colorado Senate for years to come!
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Candidate: State Representative Lisa Cutter https://www.cutterforcolorado.com/
Office Running for: Colorado House District 25 (Re-election)
Why this matters: One of the founders of the Colorado Women's March and a PR professional, Representative Cutter was part of the 2018 blue wave of women candidates who grew the Democratic statehouse majority to historic levels. Rep. Cutter has accomplished much in her first term, focusing on issues like media literacy, mental health, and getting dark money out of politics.
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Dems Leading the Way |
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"Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?" |
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From the New York Times
Voters didn’t have to wait in long lines. Turnout was high. And results were available shortly after the polls closed.
Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?
It’s not. It is a description of yesterday’s primaries in Colorado.
The state avoided the miserable lines that voters in Georgia and Wisconsin recently endured — lines that are a waste of time and, even worse, a health risk during a pandemic.
And unlike in Kentucky and New York, Colorado didn’t take a week or more to count its ballots. It began counting before Election Day. After polls closed, at 7 p.m., people quickly knew that John Hickenlooper had won the Democratic nomination in a closely watched Senate race.
Continue reading the main story
Colorado accomplished all of this thanks to a universal system of voting by mail, which began in 2014. The state sends a ballot to every registered voter weeks before Election Day. Voters can return the ballot by mail, so long as it arrives by Election Day, or can drop it off at any one of dozens of voting centers.
People can also vote in person, but fewer than 6 percent of voters do so in a typical election, said Amber McReynolds, the former head of elections in Denver, who now runs Vote at Home, an advocacy group. The atmosphere at Denver polling places yesterday, she told me, was “calm as can be.”
Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington also created universal vote-by-mail systems before the pandemic struck. In all these states, turnout has increased, with no net benefit for either party. Many other states are trying to expand mail voting this year, although often without universal mailing of ballots or as many drop-off locations as Colorado has.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ALERT Polis Signs Cannabis Convictions Reform Bill |
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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says pardons for marijuana convictions can start in 90 days From the Denver Post
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law Monday that allows him to mass-pardon Coloradans with minor marijuana possession convictions, although he has not said exactly how the process will work.
Lawmakers passed House Bill 1424 on June 15, the last day of the 2020 legislative session. The bill aims to make the legal marijuana industry more accessible to people of color and those who were previously convicted on drug charges that wouldn’t be crimes now. It expands the social equity program for marijuana business licenses to Colorado residents who have been arrested or convicted on a marijuana offense, been subject to civil asset forfeiture from a marijuana offense, or lived in an area designated as high crime or economically disadvantaged.
“For decades now, the Black community has been disproportionately criminalized because of marijuana while others have profited,” said Rep. James Coleman, a Denver Democrat and bill sponsor. “We have needed to act on this injustice for decades.”
In a last-minute move, lawmakers agreed to add another component to the bill: giving the governor the power to mass-pardon Coloradans for convictions of marijuana possession of 2 ounces or less, rather than doing them on an individual basis. Longmont Democratic Rep. Jonathan Singer added the amendment after the pandemic forced him to drop plans for a more extensive marijuana expungement bill.
Polis signed the bill Monday night at Simply Pure in Denver, a dispensary owned by Wanda James and Scott Durrah, the first Black couple in the country to own a dispensary, a cultivation facility and an edible company, according to their website.
“There’s too many people that have a prior conviction for personal amounts of cannabis fully legal today that prevent them from getting loans, from getting leases, from raising capital, from getting licenses, from getting jobs, from getting mortgages, and that’s wrong,” Polis said. “We hope that this measure will be a first step for new opportunities for thousands of Coloradans who should not be living with a cloud over their head simply because they were a little bit ahead of their time.”
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"Vote YES on the National Popular Vote" |
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Senate Mike Foote: National popular vote simply adds up From Colorado Politics
In every election this fall, from county commissioner to U.S. senator, the candidate who earns the most votes will win the election. This is true everywhere in Colorado and throughout the country, with the exception of one office: the presidency.
The National Popular Vote agreement is a way to make sure the presidential candidate that earns the most popular votes nationwide actually wins the election.
A recent column in this publication by political commentator Eric Sondermann called the National Popular Vote agreement a “complicated theorem” ("SONDERMANN | Electoral vote end-run: still stupid," June 28). On the contrary, most people understand the concept of the most votes winning elections.
Imagine the outcry if our governor was elected only by the sheer number of counties that voted in his favor, or a state legislator by the number of precincts. We don’t accept second place winners for any other type of election. We certainly should not for the most important elected office in our country either.
The second-place candidate has won the presidency five times throughout our history and there have been several near misses — most recently in 2004 — as well. Had John Kerry flipped just 60,000 votes in Ohio in 2004, he would have won the presidency despite losing to George W. Bush by over a half a million popular votes throughout the country.
This unfortunate feature leads to presidential campaigns focusing on only a handful of closely divided swing states in order to win the election. Since they know they need not win the majority of popular votes nationwide, but instead the most votes in a few swing states, those candidates understandably focus their time, resources, polling and organization on those swing states.
Ask yourself whether it is fair that Arizona, a state with just two more electoral votes than Colorado, receives a bevy of presidential candidate visits, advertising, polling, and grassroots organization resources. Colorado will get none of those things this year because it is not a swing state. Why do candidates care much more about Wisconsin, with its 10 electoral votes, than Maryland, also with 10? It has nothing to do with the important issues within each state and everything to do with whether they are states that could go either red or blue this fall.
That dynamic leads to governing that disproportionately benefits swing states as well. Just last week, President Trump claimed credit for awarding a multibillion-dollar federal shipbuilding contract to a Wisconsin firm because of Wisconsin’s important “location.” A Trump administration official recently acknowledged that Florida received all of its COVID-19 protective equipment requests because of how crucial Florida is to the president’s re-election. Examples abound of similar preferential treatment during prior administrations too.
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Weiser and Griswold Praise SCOTUS Faithless Electors Ruling |
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Colorado AG, secretary of state praise Supreme Court faithless elector ruling From 9News
State Attorney General Phil Weiser and Secretary of State Jena Griswold praised the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that states can bind their electors to back their states' popular vote winner in the Electoral College.
The high court's unanimous ruling involved lawsuits filed by three Hillary Clinton electors in Washington state and one in Colorado who refused to vote for her despite her popular vote win in both states in the 2016 election.
The Colorado case involved elector Michael Baca, a registered Democrat who in 2016 cast his vote for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, in an attempt to stop President Donald Trump from securing the Electoral College votes he needed to win. Then-Secretary of State Wayne Williams removed Baca as an elector.
At a news conference on the Supreme Court ruling, Weiser and Griswold said they were happy the court sided with Colorado law, which binds electors to vote for whichever candidate receives the most votes.
Weiser said that with this ruling, Colorado dodged a constitutional crisis.
"When Coloradans vote in November, they expect their votes to be counted," he said. "They expect electors to act with fidelity to what the people of the state did because electors have been, throughout American history, proxy voters."
Griswold said that if the ruling had gone the other way, it would have opened up the country's election system to corruption and outside influence. She cited attempts from Russia and other countries to sway U.S. elections and said that binding state electors makes it more difficult for disinformation campaigns to succeed.
"This is just one other thing that Colorado is doing to lead on democracy at a time when we're seeing voter suppression, undermining of rule of law," Griswold said.
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CROW: Trump's Dereliction of Duty "Dangerous for the Country: |
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Congressman Jason Crow on The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell From MSNBC
Congressman Crow joined former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFall on Laurence O'Donnell's show to discuss President Trump's disturbing pattern of sticking by Russia at the expense of American security.
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Trump, Gardner, & GOP Watch |
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Trump Attacks NASCAR's Only Black Driver (Because Of Course He Did.) |
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President Donald Trump calls out Bubba Wallace, NASCAR in tweet From ESPN
President Donald Trump called out driver Bubba Wallace on Monday, alleging that a noose found in his garage at Talladega Superspeedway last month was a hoax and questioning NASCAR's decision to ban the Confederate flag from the sport.
Trump tweeted: "Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!"
Wallace responded with a statement Monday afternoon in which he wrote: "Love over hate every day. Love should come naturally as people are TAUGHT to hate. Even when it's HATE from the POTUS."
Tyler Reddick, who drives the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, responded that he and other drivers don't need an apology.
"We don't need an apology. We did what was right and we will do just fine without your support," he tweeted, before later deleting the tweet.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the president's decision to wade into the Wallace case, saying in an interview on Fox News Channel that "the president's merely pointing out that we've got to let facts come out before we jump to judgment."
In a statement, NASCAR said it is "proud to have Bubba Wallace in the NASCAR family and we commend his courage and leadership. NASCAR continues to stand tall with Bubba, our competitors and everyone who makes our sport welcoming and inclusive for all racing fans."
Andrew Murstein, co-owner of the Richard Petty Motorsports team that fields Wallace's car, called Trump's tweet "a late, misinformed, and factually incorrect statement.'' He also said it was unwarranted and cited the photo NASCAR released of the noose.
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Gardner Dodges Healthcare ?'s 6 TIMES |
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Trump Puts Health Care On The Table Between Sen. Cory Gardner And Hickenlooper From CPR
Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner declined Wednesday to say whether he supports or opposes President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
Gardner spoke to CPR’s Colorado Matters the day after voters in a Democratic primary selected the opponent he’ll face in November. The choice will be between Gardner and former Gov. John Hickenlooper, and health care has already emerged as a key issue between them.
The Trump administration recently filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to have the ACA overturned.
In the interview, Gardner was repeatedly pressed to answer “yes or no” to whether he backed the administration’s request.
Gardner first said that both Democrats and Republicans want to “reverse” the ACA.
“What we need to do is find Republicans and Democrats who are willing to find a better solution to the Affordable Care Act,” he said.
Asked again, he said Democrats, including Hickenlooper, back “socialized” health care.
Gardner said he wanted to work on reforms including protection for people with preexisting conditions, purchase of health insurance across state lines, and the use of risk pools to reduce insurance costs.
He has voted in favor of ACA repeal in the Senate and supports that step on his senate website. Hickenlooper has said he wants to build on the Affordable Care Act with a public option that he claims would lower costs, attract new buyers and ultimately lead to universal coverage. Hickenlooper had to fend off a challenge from his left in the primary by Andrew Romanoff who was in support of “Medicare For All.”
In conversations with Colorado voters, CPR News has found a range of views, positive and negative, on Obamacare — although the issue is now somewhat overshadowed not only by the pandemic but recent protests.
Gardner also addressed another recent Trump administration controversy: U.S. intelligence reports that Russia offered bounties on the lives of American and coalition troops in Afghanistan. The New York Times reported that Trump was briefed on the intelligence in February.
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Volunteers of the Week |
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Meet Leo Guzman, owner of Terreno Films and one of our superstar volunteers!
Thanks to Leo, we had some of the slickest looking videos at this year's Annual Obama Event! We caught up with him for a few minutes to learn about why he uses his artistic and technical abilities to help out in Democratic causes. |
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What led you to pursue video work? What led me to pursue video work was my desire to create the kind of films and content I wanted to see as an audience member. As a kid I was always drawn to comics and animation and grew curious about how films were made the older I got. As soon as I got the opportunity to delve into this medium I never looked back.
Why are you passionate about helping Democratic causes? I am able to use my artistic voice to help further the Democratic cause. As an immigrant I was able to see first hand the importance of advocacy and standing up for your rights. Any opportunity I get to express myself via my skill set is an opportunity to help those fighting for their piece of a dream.
What would you say to someone who's thought about volunteering, but hasn't taken that first step yet? I’d say find a skill or talent you love doing and use it to volunteer and be a part of the community. We need as many hands on deck to make this work, we all have something to offer and just showing up is a great way to start. |
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Do you want to intern or volunteer with the Colorado Dems? Reach out to our volunteer coordinator Karin Asensio at [email protected], and see how YOU CAN GET INVOLVED! |
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Join the Elbow Bumpers Club! |
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What's the Elbow Bumpers Club (formerly known as the High Fivers Club), you ask? It started with a simple idea: There are nearly 1.2 million registered Democrats in Colorado -- what if every single one of them gave just $5 a month to the Colorado Democratic Party (CDP)?
Answer: The CDP would be the best-funded state party in the country -- with zero dollars from corporate PACs and plenty for flipping red seats to blue!
Here's the reality -- the Colorado Dems are working in overdrive to keep the wheels of democracy moving forward, and now is a time when we could really use your help! If you haven't joined the High Fivers Club (temporarily known as the Elbow Bumpers Club now) -- please consider a few reasons to give!
Click the gif below to join the Elbow Bumpers Club! |
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The Funnies! |
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Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Colorado are not tax deductible |
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