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Libertarian Party notes growth in relevancy, influence as state convention opens
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Libertarian Party notes growth in relevancy, influence as state convention opens

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice COLORADO SPRINGS -- The relevancy of the Colorado Libertarian Party has advanced in the past year in several measurable ways, State Chairwoman Hannah Goodman said as she opened the party's annual state convention here Saturday. One of those measurements have been increased media exposure, she said, including on local TV programming. "We have had more press exposure than in a long time," she said. "There's no secret we have all been held hostage by the Democratic majority. What we sought to do is pressure both [major] parties to run solid liberty candidates." The intent, Goodman says, is to be a disruptor and run stonger candidates which could pull greater percentages of votes in general elections."We have become incredibly relevant," G...
Congress Unveils $1.2 Trillion Plan to Avert Shutdown
Approved, National, Newsmax

Congress Unveils $1.2 Trillion Plan to Avert Shutdown

SOURCE: Newsmax Lawmakers introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work in funding the government through September. Democrats were largely able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs, though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted some policy wins, including a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country. This year's spending bills were divided into two packages. The first one cleared Congress two weeks ...
Stacking the deck: Polis appointment cancels out election for District Attorney
Approved, coloradopeakpolitics.com, Commentary, State

Stacking the deck: Polis appointment cancels out election for District Attorney

Source: Colorado Peak Politics It’s not just the state legislature that Democrats are packing with candidates selected by party insiders instead of voters. Now it looks like Gov. Polis is trying to stack the judiciary in the same manner — by filling a sudden vacancy with his own appointee and scaring off candidates who don’t have the money to run against a pseudo incumbent just a few months later. District Attorney Christian Champagne of the 6th Judicial District that serves La Plata, Archuleta, and San Juan Counties, bailed on his job one year before his term-limited seat left him unemployed and landed a job with the Democrat state attorney’s general office. That gave Polis the authority to fill Champagne’s term in the middle of a campaign between Jason Eley and Sean Murray to...
Colorado businesses responsible for funding statewide recycling program left in the dark, advocates say
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado businesses responsible for funding statewide recycling program left in the dark, advocates say

Business tax could be as much as $200,000 annually By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics As Colorado initiates the rollout of a statewide recycling program, business advocates are warning lawmakers that companies are facing hefty fees they may not be aware of and implementing the initiative may not be realistic heading into 2026, not to mention its price tag amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.   House Bill 22-1355, signed into law in June 2022, tasked the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment with selecting a nonprofit organization to oversee the recycling initiative, funded through annual dues from producers of packaging materials and paper products. Producers are not required to pay those dues until 2026, and their advocates are uncertain...
Poll shows who Republicans want as Trump’s VP running mate
Approved, National, The Center Square

Poll shows who Republicans want as Trump’s VP running mate

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Republican voters have suggestions for former President Donald Trump when he considers his running mate for vice president. The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll released this week asked voters this question: “Who should Donald Trump choose as his vice presidential candidate?” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis narrowly edged out the other potential candidates. DeSantis was once seen as a serious threat to Trump for the presidential nomination, but after Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was raided by the FBI, Trump’s poll numbers soared. DeSantis was left behind in the polling and never recovered. Now, according to the survey, 18% of Republicans want DeSantis to be Trump’s vice presidential running mate. READ FULL ARTICLE ON THECENTER...
How Gen Z Can Save America: Isabel Brown to Discuss New Book at CSU, Tuesday March 26
Approved, Northern Colorado, Rocky Mountain Voice

How Gen Z Can Save America: Isabel Brown to Discuss New Book at CSU, Tuesday March 26

By RMV Staff | Rocky Mountain Voice Native speaker and rising Gen Z star Isabel Brown is coming to her alma mater Colorado State University to discuss her new book. Hosted by Turning Point USA, this event is set to take place on March 26th at 6pm in Glover 130. Best of all, tickets are free! Isabel Brown will be promoting her new book, "The End of the Alphabet: How Gen Z Can Save America." Through her book, Brown empowers members of her generation to embrace conservative values and rise up to fight for the future. As the largest emerging demographic in American history, Gen Z is poised to shape the cultural direction of our country for generations to come. Brown believes that Gen Z is ready to embrace leadership and make their voices heard. In "The End of the Alphabet," Brown expl...
Ronna McDaniel joins NBC after pressure campaign from Trump to resign from RNC
Approved, National, New York Post

Ronna McDaniel joins NBC after pressure campaign from Trump to resign from RNC

By Shannon Thaler | New York Post Former Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is joining NBC News as an on-air contributor ahead of the 2024 presidential election — after a pressure campaign by Donald Trump for her to step aside. McDaniel will appear on the network this Sunday on “Meet the Press,” where she will be interviewed by with Kristen Welker — her first interview since stepping down from the RNC, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Insiders told the outlet that conversations about the interview began well before she was hired as a contributor. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE NEW YORK POST
Colorado environmental groups file three ballot measures to limit oil and gas industry 
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado environmental groups file three ballot measures to limit oil and gas industry 

By Michael Booth | Colorado Sun The truce is off. Let the negotiations begin again. Leading Colorado environmental groups filed language Thursday for three sweeping ballot measures aimed at limiting the oil and gas industry in the state, openly declaring them a blocking effort to as many as a half-dozen equally sweeping proposals supported by oil interests.  The potential ballot battle, alongside a number of anti-oil and gas bills still under debate in the legislature this year, is a renewal of the election year games of chicken from 2018, 2020 and 2022. In some past elections, environmental groups and oil and gas representatives agreed to take competing measures off the table so long as it was a bilateral disarmament. READ THE FULL STORY IN THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado panel finalizes budget plan that boosts K-12, higher education and health care. Here’s what’s in it.
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado panel finalizes budget plan that boosts K-12, higher education and health care. Here’s what’s in it.

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun Colorado’s state budget panel early Friday morning approved a spending plan for next fiscal year that would invest heavily in state workers and medical services, eliminate Colorado’s K-12 funding shortfall and limit college tuition increases to 3% for in-state students. But it took a lot of cutting — and some creative accounting maneuvers — to get there. Facing a potential $170 million shortfall at the start of the week, lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee dipped deeply into various state cash funds in order to balance the budget, pulling money out of a number of programs to cover the spending gap. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Nine petitions filed in 4th District to follow Rep. Buck in office, only Boebert’s verified as sufficient so far
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Nine petitions filed in 4th District to follow Rep. Buck in office, only Boebert’s verified as sufficient so far

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice Nineteen candidates seeking a place on either a Democratic or Republican ballot in a Congressional District primary made the secretary of state's Tuesday petition deadline, with thus far only four of those petitions verified as sufficient. Once a petition has been filed with the secretary of state, signatures are verified and staff deems whether the signatures are sufficient or insufficient to earn a place on the ballot, pending other conditions of the candidate's political party. Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse submitted the only petition in the 2nd District. Republicans Russ Andrews, Joe Granado, Jeff Hurd, Curtis McCrackin and Lew Webb have all submitted petitions in the 3rd District, an open seat with the absence of Rep. Lauren Boebert. Th...