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DOWN BALLOT DAY! DOWN BALLOT DAY! DOWN BALLOT DAY! |
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There’s a lot of offices to vote for in November. In fact, some of the most local offices that don’t get talked about have the most impact on YOUR life! Join us to learn about them on Down Ballot Day, Saturday, August 15, 2020! |
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"What's Down Ballot Day?", you ask? Former U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neill used to say "All politics is local", and he couldn't be more right. While offices like the U.S. Senate and the Presidency get the most airtime, the offices that have the biggest immediate impact on your life are the ones that don't get talked about! Down Ballot Day is an opportunity to learn about how four specific local offices impact you, why you should care about who gets elected to those offices, and (most importantly) why you should vote for them!
Sign up for our four virtual panels to learn about how the offices of CU Regent, State Board of Education, District Attorney, and Colorado Legislature from esteemed guests! You must sign up for each panel individually to view them! |
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REGISTER FOR ALL FOUR PANELS! (Each Panel Has a Different Link to Register) |
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CU Board of Regents Panel — Saturday, August 15, 2020 @ 10:00AM |
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State Board of Education Panel — Saturday, August 15, 2020 @ 12:00PM |
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Colorado State Legislature Panel — Saturday, August 15, 2020 @ 2:00PM |
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District Attorneys Panel — Saturday, August 15, 2020 @ 4:00PM |
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The 2020 DNC E-Convention! |
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2008: Then-senator Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for President in Denver Photo Credit: Denver Post |
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This week, delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention have begun voting! We're two weeks away from the DNC in Milwaukee, WI -- which, as covered in this CBS Denver story featuring Chair Morgan Carroll will be "unconventional"! |
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With the convention happening in two weeks, you may be wondering how you can be involved, even though it'll be completely virtual! Well, here's a few ways:
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This Week In Making a Difference |
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HELP US REGISTER VOTERS! |
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Registering Voters/Reminding your friends to update their Voter Registration is super easy! Just share the graphic above, or the QR code below, and direct them to www.GoVoteColorado.com where they can complete the process in minutes! |
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SCAN ME WITH YOUR DEVICE AND REGISTER TO VOTE! |
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Have any questions about registering people to vote? Email Karin at [email protected]! |
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COMPLETE THE CENSUS! |
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“The Census is about so much more than a population count. It’s also about making sure our state gets the resources it needs to support our communities and plan for the future. Funding from the census can go toward new roads, new schools, new emergency services and economic opportunities.” - Governor Jared Polis.
While Colorado is doing better than other states, we are still behind where we were at this point in 2010. Do your part in making sure Colorado receives all the federal funding it is entitled to!
If you haven't fill out the Census yet, take the few minutes and do it here or click the button below! |
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2020 Win Stops -- Virtual Edition! |
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Even President Obama and Vice President Biden are doing online events! Join us for ours! |
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Even in the era of COVID-19 and social distancing, Team CDP is connecting with Democrats all across the state to ensure that we launch a blue tsunami in 2020!
So far, the Colorado Democratic Party has held the following Virtual Win Stops: Large Red (June 2, 2020) Medium Blue (June 4, 2020) Large Blue (June 7, 2020) Medium Red (June 27, 2020) Large Purple (July 7, 2020) Medium Purple (July 11, 2020) Small Red (August 1, 2020)
Join us for the next in our series of virtual win stops to learn how you can be a part of electing Democrats in your county this November! |
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Saturday, August 8 at 11:00AM VIP Guest Speaker: CD3 Dem. Candidate Diane Mitsch Bush Very Small Blue (Costilla, Lake, Saguache, San Miguel)
Saturday, August 22 at 10:30AM VIP Guest Speaker: Governor Jared Polis Very Small Red (Archuleta, Baca, Crowley, Cheyenne, Custer, Dolores, Hinsdale, Mineral, Moffat, Kiowa, Jackson, Lincoln, Kit Carson, Rio Blanco, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington)
Tuesday, August 25 @ 6:00PM VIP Guest Speaker: Congressman Ed Perlmutter Small Purple (Routt, Chaffee, Gunnison, Otero, Grand)
Saturday, August 29 at 6:00PM VIP Guest Speaker: TBA Very Small Purple (Alamosa, Bent, Clear Creek, Conejos, Huerfano, Rio Grande, Ouray, San Juan ) |
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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, August 10, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST Conflict Prevention and Resolution (Hosted by Linda Newell and Mary Zinn) What will it take to win in November? What’s in our way? Miscommunications, infighting, and misunderstandings can be exhausting, sucking up our time and energy. Yet, there is a great deal we can do to lighten our load TODAY!
Former Senator Linda Newell and Mary Zinn will offer practical communication and conflict tools from their first-hand political organizing experience and professional practices. Learn how to improve communications with fellow Dem peers and volunteers to maximize each person’s time and talent. Like it or not, we need people to win elections. We can’t do this without each other. Create the biggest possible advantage to cross the finish line together with the Blue results we want!
Long-time partners in conflict resolution, Mary and Linda’s practical programs have received enthusiastic endorsements from diverse audiences. Click here to sign up! |
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Former state Senator Linda Newell and Mary Zinn. |
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Monday, September 14, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST VAN 101 (Hosted by Bruce Norikane) The Voter Activation Network (VAN) is one of the Democratic Party's most critical tools to victory and success at every level of campaigning! Whether you're new to VAN, or if you could use a refresher on the basics, check out this training by technology director Bruce Norikane! Click here to sign up! |
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Monday, September 28, 2020 @ 6:00PM MST GOTV and GOTV Messaging (Hosted by Morgan Carroll and Halisi Vinson) How do we make sure that that we turn out the vote? How do we convince our voters to turn in their ballots, and make sure that they don't leave their ballots on their kitchen counter until it's too late? We go over strategies in this webinar! Click here to sign up! |
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Colorado Democratic Ed. Initiative COV-Ed Summit, August 8 |
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Join the Colorado Democratic Education Initiative for their special COV-Ed Summit on Saturday, August 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m. |
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Objective: To educate Democrats about perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on our schools and education policies in a way that ensures public education in Colorado thrives, and to introduce Democratic candidates.
Featuring:
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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: Darien Wilson
Office Running for: Douglas County Commissioner (D3)
Why this matters: Douglas County has long been a Republican stronghold, but it's turning bluer! By electing Darien to Douglas County's 3-member county commissioner board (that's currently run by Republicans), real change can happen at the most local level!
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Candidate: David Ortiz https://www.davidortizcolorado.com/
Office Running for: State House (House District 38)
Why this matters: This seat is currently held by Republican Richard Champion, who was appointed after it was vacated by Susan Beckman. This normally red district is turning bluer, with Beckman only winning by 374 votes in 2018! Ortiz is a U.S. Army veteran, who flew the Kiowa Warrior helicopter in service to his country. He survived a crash that paralyzed him rom the waist down. David went on to advocate for Coloradans with disabilities and veterans, leading him to run for this seat. Flipping it would expand the Dem majority!
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El Paso County Dems Community Unity Virtual Cookout August, 22, 2020 |
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Join the El Paso County Democratic Party for a virtual Community Unity Cookout. They'll have amazing speakers who have confirmed and are working to confirm more everyday. The Fundraiser is August 22 from 2-4. Early Bird tickets are only available until August 8th.
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Dems Leading the Way |
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Biden "will ensure everyone has a chance to join the middle class, including Latinos" |
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Biden campaign accuses Trump of an 'assault on Latino dignity' From NBC News
Democrat Joe Biden's presidential campaign unveiled an agenda for the Latino community Tuesday, blasting what it called an "assault on Latino dignity" by President Donald Trump.
The campaign said the "assault" has gone beyond immigration restrictions and Trump's pardoning of former Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio to underfunding schools, undercutting labor rights and workers' wages and mistreating Puerto Ricans.
"Trump's strategy is to sow division — to cast out Latinos as being less than fully American," the campaign said in a news release. Campaign officials discussed the agenda in a conference call with reporters, who agreed not to identify them.
Biden's campaign is on a quest to step up Latino enthusiasm for the former vice president.
Larger shares of Latino voters have said in polls that they support Biden than Trump, but polling also shows that Biden is not pulling the same support from Latinos that Hillary Clinton did and that Trump is doing better among Latino voters than he did four years ago.
Latinos tend to vote for Democrats more often, but Republicans can grab a smaller share of the Latino vote and still win the race — as Trump did in 2016.
The agenda was released on the day of state primaries in Arizona, where Arpaio is in a race for the Senate. The state is a major battleground for the November election, and turnout is being closely monitored as an indicator of what to expect in the fall.
Biden's 19-page Latino agenda covers a wide range of issues, some of them refined from or built on proposals he made in the primaries. Some of the agenda had already been covered in Biden's speech on the economy and his proposals on racial equity.
In introducing the plan, a Biden campaign official noted the anniversary this week of the attack in El Paso, Texas, where a gunman killed 23 people and injured about two dozen others in a massacre at a Walmart. Authorities called the attack a domestic terrorist incident, saying the gunman targeted Latinos.
"It's a tragedy that's part of a long line of hate crimes and assaults that accelerated during this administration," the campaign staffer said. "The policies of this administration amount to an onslaught of violence against our community. That ends when Joe Biden is president."
Biden's plan centers on five main goals: to invest in Latino economic mobility, to make "far-reaching" investments in ending health disparities by race, to expand access to high-quality education and tackle racial inequity in education, to combat hate crimes and gun violence and to "secure our values as a nation of immigrants," the campaign said.
"He will ensure everyone has a chance to join the middle class, including Latinos and other individuals never given a fair shot in decades past," a campaign official said.
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Obama Endorses Hickenlooper, Crow |
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Obama throws support behind Hickenlooper, Crow in first round of 2020 endorsements From Colorado Politics
Former President Obama threw his support Monday behind former Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, including the Colorado Democrats in the first round of candidates he is endorsing in high-profile state and federal races around the country.
“I’m proud to endorse this diverse and hopeful collection of thoughtful, empathetic, and highly qualified Democrats," Obama said in an announcement on Twitter.
Hickenlooper is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in a race that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate after the November elections, and Crow is defending the suburban 6th Congressional District seat he won two years ago by defeating five-term Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman.
In all, Obama endorsed 118 candidates in 17 states.
"Together, these candidates will help us redeem our country’s promise by sticking up for working class people, restoring fairness and opportunity to our system, and fighting for the good of all Americans — not just those at the top," Obama said in a post on Medium.
"They make me optimistic not just about our party’s chances in November, but about our country’s future long after that."
He urged their constituents to "vote early — by mail or in person," if they're able to.
"It means the world to me to have your support," Hickenlooper tweeted.
In a Monday morning email to supporters, Hickenlooper said he was proud what he and Obama accomplished when both were in office, including expanding health care to hundreds of thousands of Coloradans, implementing the Clean Power Plan to curb emissions and regulating methane emissions.
"We worked together, and put people first — the exact opposite of what’s happening in Washington right now," Hickenlooper added. "Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Cory Gardner have failed the American people. We have to stop them in November."
After endorsing each other last year, in February Trump thanked Gardner at a Colorado Springs rally for supporting him "100%," in a line Democrats have repeated in ads linking the two Republicans in a state where the president's favorability is underwater.
Crow, who is facing a challenge from former state Republican Party chairman Steve House, said on Twitter: "I’m proud to have the support and endorsement of @barackObama. This is the election of our lifetime. As we tackle the greatest crisis in generations, integrity and character matter more than ever, but I need your support to win."
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Neguse Drops the Mic on Zuckerberg |
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From the Daily Mail
The CEOs of the four biggest tech firms faced Congress as one Wednesday - and came under fire from both sides, accused of running monopolies, trampling small businesses and would-be competitors and censoring conservatives.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos, in his first appearance before Congress, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple sometimes struggled to answer pointed questions about their business practices.
For more than five hours the world's richest man, Bezos; fourth-richest, Zuckerberg; CEO of the world's most valued corporation, Cook; and its key search engine, Pichai; were repeatedly ripped as copycats, liars, bullies, drug dealers and traitors as they testified before the Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee.
The CEOs of the four biggest tech firms faced Congress as one Wednesday - and came under fire from both sides, accused of running monopolies, trampling small businesses and would-be competitors and censoring conservatives.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos, in his first appearance before Congress, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Google and Tim Cook of Apple sometimes struggled to answer pointed questions about their business practices.
For more than five hours the world's richest man, Bezos; fourth-richest, Zuckerberg; CEO of the world's most valued corporation, Cook; and its key search engine, Pichai; were repeatedly ripped as copycats, liars, bullies, drug dealers and traitors as they testified before the Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee.
In the most damaging moments, lawmakers unveiled Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's internal emails boasting about buying competitors, saying Instagram was a threat as he plotted to purchase it, and talking about a 'land grab' on other competition.
Democratic Representative Joe Neguse bluntly told Zuckerberg he was running a monopoly in the tech marketplace as he read from the emails.
'You did tell one of Facebook's senior engineers in 2012 that you can, quote 'Likely just buy any competitive start up, but it will be a while until we can buy Google.' Do you recall writing that?' Neguse asked of the Facebook co-founder.
'Congressman, I don't specifically, but it sounds like a joke,' Zuckerberg said.
The newly revealed 2012 email chain, Neguse said, came directly after Facebook closed on its purchase of Instagram – one of its biggest competitors at the time.
In the emails, Zuckerberg detailed that his goal is to 'neutralize potential competitors,' especially those that could be 'disruptive' to Facebook.
'Here's why I ask these questions, Mr. Zuckerberg,' Neguse said in closing. 'It strikes me that over the course of the last several years, Facebook has used its market power to either purchase or replicate the competition.'
'And Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram are the most now downloaded apps of the last decade – and your company, sir, owns them all,' the Colorado representative concluded.
'And we have a word for that – that word is monopoly.'
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Crow Calls for Washington Support Veterans |
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’Please don’t leave our veterans behind,’ Veterans call for passage of the Heroes Act From KTUU
Alaska is home to many current service members and veterans. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Alaska is home to about 6,500 state and local government workers who are veterans. This accounts for about 10% of the workforce in those sectors.
Friday morning a group of veterans met via media call to discuss the importance of HR 6800 (The HEROES Act) for veterans. The bill responds to the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses. The bill also modifies or expands a wide range of other programs and policies, including those regarding veterans’ benefits.
“We have to get this done. It is not enough to say you support our troops, you support our veterans. It’s time for us to actually do it. Provide the funding and relief that is absolutely necessary to get this done and make sure our veterans taking care of,” said Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), Iraq and Afghanistan veteran.
Currently, eyes are on the U.S Senate to vote on the bill. The House has already passed it.
“This aid is going to be very important because I see that, I do work with our veterans, if those services were caught off then they’ll not be able to get the services that they need,” said Dawn Bundick, Investigator for the Alaska Department of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
Bundick is a United States Navy Reserves veteran.
Everyone on the call expressed the “urgent need for state and local aid to protect veteran jobs and essential public services.”
“We have over a million veterans that utilize SNAP as a benefit and to think that the people I served with, who fought for our country, and dedicated the many years of their lives to serve this nation are fearful that they are going to lose the benefits needed to provide food for themselves and their families, it keeps me up at night,” said William Attig, Union Veteran’s Council Executive Director.
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Trump, Gardner, & GOP Watch |
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Trump's VEEP-like Interview for the Ages |
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Axios Reporter Jonathan Swan gave a master class in how to interview Trump. CLICK HERE to watch! |
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Jonathan Swan reveals the simple secret to exposing Trump's lies: basic follow-up questions From CNN
Jonathan Swan, a reporter for Axios, has revealed the magic words that expose President Donald Trump's lies for what they are.
Who? What? How? No.
In an interview that aired Monday night on "Axios on HBO," Swan demolished some of Trump's most dishonest talking points with a powerful tactic that has rarely been used by the people Trump has allowed to interview him: Basic follow-up questions.
Many of Trump's interviewers are right-wing sycophants who have no interest in challenging him. But Trump has defeated even his other interviewers by employing a strategy we can call the hit-and-run -- saying dishonest stuff, then darting ahead to other dishonest stuff before the interviewer reacts.
Swan -- like Fox News' Chris Wallace, to a slightly lesser extent, in an interview that aired July 19 -- came armed with facts and prepared to use them, even if he had to interrupt Trump like Trump interrupts others. And Trump wasn't ready to respond.
Take their exchange about coronavirus testing. Trump uttered a version of his now-familiar refrain about how testing is overrated -- attributing this nonsense to unnamed "those that say." Swan pressed for details.
Trump: "You know, there are those that say you can test too much, you do know that."
Swan: "Who says that?"
Trump: "Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books."
Swan: "Manuals? What manuals?"
Trump: "Read the books. Read the books."
Swan: "What books?"
Trump moved on without offering a direct answer. While Swan couldn't get the President to concede that he is making up these "manuals" and "books," he exposed him nonetheless. Swan had similar success when Trump returned to his laughably inaccurate claim that the virus is "under control," which he has now been making for more than six months.
Trump: "Right now, I think it's under control. I'll tell you what --"
Swan: "How? 1,000 Americans are dying a day."
Trump: "They are dying. That's true. And you have -- it is what it is. But that doesn't mean we aren't doing everything we can. It's under control as much as you can control it."
Again, Trump didn't explicitly surrender. But Swan's basic follow-up -- a "how?" and a single key statistic -- forced Trump into a de facto surrender ("It's under control as much as you can control it") and another revealing remark, "It is what it is."
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"A vote for Cory Gardner is a vote for Donald Trump.” |
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(Photo Credit: Mark Reis) |
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From the Colorado Sun
Republicans in Colorado are becoming increasingly nervous about U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner’s reelection odds as President Donald Trump’s poll numbers crater in the state and across the nation.
That’s because Gardner’s reelection strategy hinges on his ability to win support from voters unwilling to back the president but who are enamored enough with the Republican senator’s record to give him a second term. And the worse Trump does in the state, the harder that becomes.
An average of the latest public polling in Colorado shows Trump down by 14.5 percentage points to former Vice President Joe Biden, according to the political data site FiveThirtyEight. Republican operatives say that margin is far too large for Gardner to bridge with so-called split-ticket voters who back both him and Biden.
Anything more than a 10 percentage point split between Trump and Biden could spell disaster.
“Jesus Christ himself couldn’t overperform Trump by double digits,” said Tyler Sandberg, a Republican operative.
But the Trump campaign isn’t investing in Colorado. Unlike in other states, Trump hasn’t reserved television ad time, according to a Colorado Sun analysis of Federal Communications Commission records. Major national groups that are backing the president’s reelection bid haven’t opened their purse strings for Colorado either.
It’s a sign that Colorado has lost its status as a presidential battleground state. And with Trump’s campaign needing to direct resources to shore up support in other parts of the country, there are Republican anxieties about whether Trump will be willing or able to spend in Colorado to close the gap enough to give Gardner a chance.
Other down-ballot Republicans also could suffer if the Trump campaign can’t keep the election in Colorado within striking distance, leading to another difficult election year after the disastrous 2018 cycle. ... Democrat Ken Salazar won election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 despite President George W. Bush taking Colorado — another example of ticket splitting in the state.
But Salazar thinks persuading voters to split their ticket requires a streak of independence. That was a key component to Coffman’s successful campaigns up until 2018, when the five-term congressman’s work to brand himself as independent of national politics wasn’t enough to escape Trump’s shadow.
“Ticket splitting does happen,” said Salazar, who is supporting Hickenlooper’s campaign. “The reality today, though, in 2020, is that the positions between Donald Trump and Cory Gardner are essentially one in the same. They’re two peas in one pod. If there were marked differences between Cory Gardner and Donald Trump, you could see that kind of ticket splitting going on. But, here, there is no difference. A vote for Cory Gardner is a vote for Donald Trump.”
Republicans have long worried that Gardner could run a flawless 2020 campaign and still come up short because of the political tides working against him.
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Volunteers of the Week |
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Meet Scott, the 1st Vice Chair of the Jefferson County Dems (a volunteer position)! Scott is a veteran, a long-time staffer in the Colorado State Capitol for Democratic legislators, and one of the hardest working people in Colorado politics! We caught up with him in between meetings to learn a little more about him! |
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Why do you volunteer for Democratic causes? What motivates you to volunteer your time? This is one of the most critical times in the history of our country. And I can't just sit back hoping others will fix the problems we're facing. And even though so much media attention is paid to our national races, what happens at the local and state level has an immediate and meaningful impact on our lives. If there is something, anything, I can do to help ensure Democratic victories in Colorado, then I absolutely must be out doing it. The stakes are just too high to wait and see if things work themselves out. The key to a blue Colorado is the time we can spend doing everything possible to make that happen. Whether it's writing postcards, or making phone calls, or dropping literature, or whatever is needed, either for individual campaigns or for the County or State Democratic parties, it starts right here, right now, with me. |
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What would you say to someone who has thought about volunteering before, but hasn't taken that first step? When you wake up in the morning, say to yourself "What will I do to change the world today?", and then go out and do something. Stop thinking and start doing. Don't wait for the right moment. The moment is now. Yes, it can be exhausting. And draining. And sometimes intimidating. But knowing you have done something to help, that you stood up for what you believe in, that you are making a difference, is one of the most satisfying feelings you can have. It is so vital right now to put Democrats in office across Colorado, in every level of our government. And by helping make that happen, you 're making a real, positive impact on your community. Pick up your phone or type out an email and contact your local campaigns, your County Democratic Party, or the Colorado Democratic Party. There is so much that needs doing, just waiting for you to say "I'm ready to change the world.". |
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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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Share the Dispatch |
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If you know someone interested in receiving our weekly newsletter, they can sign up here! |
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Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Party of Colorado are not tax deductible |
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