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Colorado election 2022
By: Chase Woodruff, Sara Wilson, Lindsey Toomer, Quentin Young and Newsline staff - November 8, 2022
Colorado Newsline journalists are following the latest news and results from the Colorado midterm elections on Nov. 8. On the ballot this year are races for U.S. Senate, governor, U.S. House, state Senate and House, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, 11 statewide ballot measures and other races and local issues. Newsline’s Voter Guide covers […]
Colorado turnout remains down as Denver metro counties lag behind 2018 returns
By: Chase Woodruff - November 7, 2022
One day before Election Day, ballot return data compiled by state officials continues to show Colorado’s voter turnout down significantly from the last midterm election in 2018. As of Sunday evening, 1,339,399 Coloradans had cast a vote in the 2022 election, according to data released Monday by the Colorado secretary of state’s office. Nearly 99% […]
Could Colorado third-party candidates play spoiler? History shows it’s unlikely.
By: Chase Woodruff - November 7, 2022
Brian Peotter, the Libertarian Party nominee for Colorado’s U.S. Senate seat, doesn’t think he can win tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean Peotter doesn’t hope to influence the contest between incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Joe O’Dea. “Success is covering the spread between the winner and the loser,” Peotter told Newsline ahead of […]
8th District race breaks super PAC records as Republican dark money backs Kirkmeyer in Colorado
By: Chase Woodruff - November 3, 2022
By one measure, Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer has run a lean campaign for Colorado’s newly created 8th Congressional District. Her campaign committee’s $1.1 million in reported expenditures is even less than the amount U.S. Rep. Ken Buck has spent to defend a safe seat in the heavily Republican 4th District. But the real financial […]
Colorado TV stations urged to pull Kirkmeyer ad centered on ‘flat-out lie’
By: Chase Woodruff - November 1, 2022
A progressive group on Monday called on Colorado TV stations to refuse to broadcast a “blatantly” false campaign ad from state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, the Republican nominee in the 8th Congressional District. In the ad, Kirkmeyer falsely claims — twice — that Colorado Democrats, including her opponent, state Rep. Yadira Caraveo, “voted to legalize fentanyl […]
The super PACs and wealthy donors shaping Colorado’s U.S. Senate race
By: Chase Woodruff - November 1, 2022
Despite a late surge in campaign spending, especially by Democratic-affiliated groups, Colorado’s 2022 U.S. Senate race is still on track to fall far short of the fundraising and expenditure records set two years ago. As of Oct. 19, a total of just under $46 million had been spent by the campaigns of incumbent Democratic Sen. […]
Bennet, O’Dea trade jabs in contentious final U.S. Senate debate
By: Chase Woodruff - October 29, 2022
As the only televised debate in the race for Colorado’s U.S. Senate seat began in Fort Collins on Friday night, each candidate stuck to some of their campaign’s most familiar themes. High inflation, said Republican nominee Joe O’Dea, won’t subside “until we end the war on diesel, the frivolous spending, and the government intervention.” Incumbent […]
O’Dea repeats false Bennet legislation claim as Colorado’s U.S. Senate race nears finish line
By: Chase Woodruff - October 27, 2022
In Tuesday night’s U.S. Senate debate in Colorado, Republican challenger Joe O’Dea saved his most pointed attack on incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet for his closing statement, after Bennet would have the ability to respond. “Bennet passed one bill — one bill — in 13 years that he wrote,” O’Dea claimed. In one of the […]
Bennet, O’Dea spar on climate, energy issues in Grand Junction debate
By: Chase Woodruff - October 26, 2022
The race for Colorado’s U.S. Senate seat returned on Tuesday to the Western Slope, where incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican challenger Joe O’Dea debated the issues in a region significantly impacted by both the clean-energy transition and a historic megadrought fueled by climate change. O’Dea, a first-time candidate and Denver construction CEO, returned […]
Griswold, Anderson discuss election threats in final Colorado secretary of state debate
By: Chase Woodruff - October 25, 2022
In their final debate ahead of next month’s midterm elections, the candidates running for Colorado secretary of state on Monday reacted to reports of far-right conspiracist groups monitoring ballot drop boxes in Colorado and other states. Footage of men dressed in military-style tactical gear watching over a drop box in Arizona circulated widely over the […]
Half of Tina Peters’ $255K Colorado primary recount fee to be refunded
By: Chase Woodruff - October 24, 2022
Over half of the $255,912.33 recount fee paid by Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters following her June defeat in the Republican primary for secretary of state will be refunded after final costs were tallied, state officials said Monday. “Based on the final costs provided to the office, the amount of $137,283.28 was not […]
Climate groups urge Colorado to ‘correct course’ on emissions progress
By: Chase Woodruff - October 21, 2022
Environmental groups on Thursday reiterated their longstanding calls for Colorado to “go further, faster” to combat climate change, as state officials promised to develop an updated plan for emissions reductions. In a letter to members of the Air Quality Control Commission, representatives of a dozen major conservation and climate-action groups wrote that time is running […]