The final spending number for Proposition 131 — and the interesting places the money went

The total amount spent by Colorado Voters First, the issue committee that supported Proposition 131, was $18.5 million, according to the group’s final campaign finance report.

That sum, which includes in-kind contributions, represents about $13.36 in spending for each of the 1.38 million votes cast for the measure, which failed by 7 percentage points. The initiative would have changed most of the state’s primaries so candidates from all parties ran against each other, with the top four vote-getters advancing to a ranked choice general election.

Here are some highlights from the committee’s final campaign finance report, revealing fundraising and spending from Oct. 24 through Dec. 5:

• Chevron gave another $500,000 to the committee Nov. 6, the day after the election. That brought the oil and gas giant’s total contributions to Colorado Voters First to $1 million.
• Kent Thiry, the wealthy former CEO of the Denver-based dialysis giant DaVita, gave a total of $6 million directly to Colorado Voters First. That represented 32% of the committee’s total fundraising . He may have given more through Unite America. Thiry cochairs the board of the nonprofit, which doesn’t disclose its donors.
  Unite America, based in Denver, gave $5.8 million to Colorado Voters First.
• Colorado Voters First paid Democratic political consultant Jason Bane , who runs the liberal blog Colorado Pols and is cohost of the “Get More Smarter” podcast, was paid $36,750 between Sept. 27 and Nov. 26. The payments were described as being for “outreach consulting.” Bane didn’t respond to a request for comment.
• John Bailey , a leader of the Colorado Black Round Table and the Black economic Opportunities Council, was paid $24,000 in November by Colorado Voters First for “outreach consulting.” He used his platform to support the measure and tout endorsements from other prominent Black Coloradans. He didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.
• Pabon Consulting LLC, the firm run by former state Rep. Dan Pabon , a Denver Democrat, was paid $27,000 by Colorado Voters First in November and early December. The payments were listed as being for “outreach consulting.” Pabon didn’t respond to a request for comment.
• Colorado Voters First paid $12,500 on Election Day to JLH Consulting and Public Affairs, the firm run by Colorado lobbyist Jason Hopfer.
• Colorado Voters First paid three polling firms in the final weeks of the campaign: The Mellman Group, Keating Research and Public Opinion Strategies.

By comparison, Voter Rights Colorado, the group that opposed Proposition 131, spent a total of about $630,000, including the in-kind contributions it received. That represents roughly 40 cents in spending for each of the 1.6 million “no” votes cast on the measure.

WHAT ELSE WAS IN THE LATEST CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS

Here are the other highlights from the final state campaign finance reports from the 2024 election:

• Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, which backed Amendment 79, spent about $9 million, including the in-kind contributions it received. The measure enshrining abortion access in the state constitution passed .
• Cats Aren’t Trophies spent about $3.7 million, including its in-kind contributions, in its failed attempt to pass Proposition 127, which would have banned the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats . Colorado’s Wildlife Deserve’s Better spent about $2 million to defeat the initiative.
• Public Schools Strong spent about $5 million to defeat Amendment 80, which would have enshrined the right to school choice in the state constitution. The measure, which failed , was backed by political nonprofits that don’t disclose their donors.
• All Pets Deserve Vet Care spent about $1.6 million to successfully pass Proposition 129 to expand veterinary care by creating a new veterinary professional associate position in Colorado. The passage came despite $2.5 million in spending against the initiative by the committee Keep Our Pets Safe, including in-kind contributions, opposing the measure.

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

• The Joint Budget Committee is meeting this week as it continues drafting the state’s 2025-26 budget, which takes effect July 1
• The Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy and Task Force meets at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Colorado Capitol
• The House Workplace Harassment Committee meets at 10 a.m. Friday at the Colorado Capitol

YOU HEARD IT HERE

Coleman, speaking on the “Get More Smarter” podcast, downplayed the decision to bar Jaquez Lewis from having state-paid aides, as well as the decision to remove her from committees after repeated complaints from her subordinates.

“It’s not about punitive measures toward the senator,” Coleman said. “It’s about making sure that any potential staff moving forward are being protected while an investigation will be moving forward.”

Coleman also said he will honor any request that an ethics investigation be launched into Jaquez Lewis and that “she too welcomes an investigation through (an) ethics hearing because she wants to be able to share all sides of the story.”

Some other highlights from the interview with Coleman:

• Coleman said he doesn’t see his leadership style as being different from outgoing Senate President Steve Fenberg ’s. “I would say my style is more of an autonomous vision style,” he said. “I set the vision for my caucus, I set the vision for our staff, and then I trust them to do the work.”
• “I do think we need to have reform,” Coleman said of vacancy committees, which are expected to appoint three state senators in January. “There’s got to be a better idea than what we currently have right now.” He said he is working with Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Shad Murib on ideas to change the process for filling seats when state lawmakers resign, are removed from office or die during their term. That being said, Coleman said it’s not a priority for 2025.
• Coleman said the Senate Democratic caucus’ priorities next year will be affordability, housing, health care access and counteracting the incoming Trump administration.
• He said he believes the legislature will pass a bill making it easier for unions to require that all employees at a company pay for representation, whether they are part of the union or not. “I believe that we’ll find a solution,” Coleman said “I don’t think everyone is going to agree (with the policy) when it’s all said and done.”
• A bill seeking to reduce the likelihood of lawsuits against condominium builders is set to return in 2025, Coleman said. The details are still in flux, and Coleman said he hasn’t agreed yet to sign onto the bill — as he did last year.
• Coleman said he will not work on any bills unless he’s asked to sign onto a measure by a member of his caucus, a major departure from his predecessors that he says is meant to ensure he’s putting his colleagues’ needs first. Previous Senate presidents have championed many issues and were often lead sponsors’ of the chamber’s most contentious bills.

Read more on the situation with Jaquez Lewis:

• State Sen. Jaquez Lewis removed from committees; Dems plan ethics investigation over treatment of staff
  — Colorado Public Radio
• Boulder County Democrats “deeply concerned” about allegations against Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis
  — Boulder Reporting Lab
• Colorado Senate President James Rashad Coleman: “I was conditioned for service”
  — Colorado Politics
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THE POLITICAL TICKER

PHIL WEISER

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser may be taking steps to kick off his 2026 gubernatorial bid.

Campaign finance tracker Rob Pyers spotted that someone nabbed the domain name “philweiserforgovernor.com.” Weiser, a Democrat, is widely expected to launch his campaign in the coming weeks.

A Magellan Strategies poll of 630 registered Democratic and unaffiliated voters who are likely to cast ballots in the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary in Colorado found that U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, one of the prospective candidates, is in the lead, with 20% of the vote share.

He is followed by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold at 16%; former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at 11%; Weiser at 8%; “another candidate” at 8%; and 37% were undecided.

The survey was conducted on behalf of the nonprofit Healthier Colorado from Dec. 4-9. It had a 3.9% margin of error.

COLORADO LEGISLATURE

State Rep. Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, has been appointed House Speaker Pro Tempore by House Speaker Julie McCluskie.

Boesenecker was planning a leadership challenge to Assistant House Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, but dropped that effort. His new role is mostly ceremonial.

“I’m honored to take on the role of speaker pro tempore, and I am excited to serve the chamber in this new capacity,” Boesenecker said in a written statement. “By working together, we will make important progress to protect and build on our accomplishments, which Coloradans overwhelmingly support. When called upon to preside over the House, I’m committed to doing so fairly and with respect for every member. Coloradans are counting on us to govern responsibly with limited state resources and deliver results– and I know we will.”

McCluskie also appointed state Rep. Javier Mabrey, a progressive Denver Democrat, chair of the House Judiciary Committee and state Rep.-elect Michael Carter, D-Aurora, vice chair of the powerful panel.

COLORADO GOP

The Colorado GOP has tapped Matt Arnold to serve as the leader of a so-called anticorruption committee that will investigate the effort this year to depose party Chairman Dave Williams.

Arnold, an attorney and prolific campaign finance complaint filer, will investigate El Paso County GOP Vice Chairman Todd Watkins, Jefferson County GOP Chairwoman Nancy Pallozzi and former El Paso County GOP Chairman Eli Bremer for seeking to remove Williams as the party’s leader.

THE LOBBY

Michael Smith has been named the National Federation of Independent Business state director for Colorado and Wyoming. He most recently served as the director of state government relations for Gainwell Technologies in Denver. Before that, Smith worked as the regional state government relations director at Walgreens.

“We’re thrilled to have Michael join our organization,” NFIB Regional State Director Dawn McVea said in a written statement. “He has devoted his career to public service and advocacy. He understands the important role NFIB plays in ensuring policymakers consider the impact of their decisions on small business owners and promoting policy solutions that will keep both Colorado and Wyoming’s job creators thriving.”

Smith replaces Tony Gagliardi, the longtime Colorado state director for NFIB. He served in the role for 19 years.

“Gagliardi is no longer with NFIB,” said NFIB spokeswoman Jessica Henrichs.

MEDIA

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reporter Charles Ashby, who has covered Colorado politics for decades, is retiring from journalism at the end of the year. He said on social media that Monday was his “actual last day working.”

“So long, and thanks for all the fish,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Denver Post reporter Joe Rubino, who covers Denver politics, is departing his job Dec. 22 for a job outside of journalism, he announced on social media.

“Thank you to all the readers, sources, colleagues and friends who have made this job so fulfilling over the years,” he wrote.

READ MORE

• “You are here to serve”: As Colorado’s pension costs grow, some PERA members say its board isn’t listening
• Colorado’s train dreams are shunted aside for a major bus expansion
• Final price tag of race in Colorado’s highly competitive 8th Congressional District: $40 million
• Colorado’s pro-transgender laws — and scientific studies — can’t solve the sports controversy
• What’s Working: How Colorado’s mandatory retirement plan is working out
• Denver is modifying landmark greenhouse gas rules after landlord protests
• Did Gov. Polis blame Colorado ranchers for high wolf-restoration costs?
• Hunting groups sue Colorado wildlife commissioners over mountain lion hunting op-ed ahead of election
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife vows to do better job at round 2 of wolf reintroduction starting in January
• Denver council approves ban on most flavored tobacco products
  — Denverite
• A nonprofit leader, a social worker, a Denver anti-violence activist: Here are the people on Biden’s clemency list
  — The Associated Press
• Cory Gardner to chair Senate Leadership Fund, ushering in Thune era for the super PAC
  — Punchbowl News
• Outside investigation faults Jena Griswold in Colorado election breach
  — Axios Denver
• Former Colorado Democratic Party chair’s consultant deal violated state ethics law, commission finds
  — The Denver Post ????
• Gov. Jared Polis cuts through executive orders — wielding a circular saw on his desk
  — The Denver Post ????
• Colorado governor expected to appoint Van Winkle to fill vacant Douglas County seat left by Lora Thomas
  — Colorado Community Media
• Colorado Department of Transportation wants to impose a new fee on diesel fuel
  — CBS Colorado
• New Colorado Medicaid program covers children and pregnant women, no matter immigration status
  — CBS Colorado
• Yadira Caraveo splits with party to back Republican laundry initiative
  — 9News

???? = source has article meter or paywall

CONGRESS

Gabe Evans on what he plans to do with his appointment to the House Energy and Commerce Committee

U.S. Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, plans to use his post on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to ease pollution rules for the parts of Colorado that the federal government says don’t meet air quality standards.

The balance he wants to strike is between tackling the northern Front Range’s high ground-level ozone levels while protecting the region’s oil and gas economy.

“Figuring out how we have a little bit more flexibility to account for pollution that’s not Colorado’s,” he said. “About 70% of pollution along the Front Range of Colorado doesn’t originate in Colorado.”

The Regional Air Quality Council estimates that pollution from out of state has in recent years accounted for as much as two-thirds of the northern Front Range’s ozone levels, but that data is outdated. It expects to release updated data in the coming months.

Evans said he also wants to persuade the Environmental Protection Agency to drop a requirement that reformulated gas, which is more expensive, be sold in nine Front Range counties during the summer months to cut down on air pollution. He said the cost isn’t worth the benefit, a position that Gov. Jared Polis has also taken.

Counties along the northern Front Range violated EPA ozone standards on 40 days of the 2024 summer air pollution season. Colorado must bring average ozone levels below both the 2008 and 2015 standards in the next few years, or face increasing restrictions from EPA sanctions.

In addition to the reformulated gas requirement, Colorado Air Pollution Control officials must write permits for any business projected to exceed 25 tons of emissions a year, down from the previous threshold of 50 tons per year.

Evans said on the campaign trail that the House Energy and Commerce Committee was his top choice should he win election to Congress. He is the first first-year elected member of the U.S. House to be appointed to the committee in 14 years. (Republican Rep. John James of Michigan was appointed to the committee earlier this year as a freshman lawmaker, but he was appointed, not elected, to his seat.)

Evans said he’d like to serve on the committee’s Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee or the Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Materials Subcommittee. He doesn’t anticipate being appointed to another committee because of the big Energy and Commerce workload.

Another Evans’ note: He said he’ll be taking over Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s district offices in Northglenn and Greeley because they have already met the federal contracting standards and are equipped with the proper technology. Evans beat Caraveo Nov. 5.

EVANS ON IMMIGRATION

In a Colorado Sun opinion piece last week, Evans said people living in the U.S. unlawfully for years “but contributing to our society and not causing problems” should not be deported unless they cannot or refuse to try to obtain legal status.

He said those people should pay a fine and be on probation until they can obtain legal status.

Evans also endorsed Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy under which asylum seekers would be required to stay in Mexico until their asylum claims can be adjudicated by U.S. immigration authorities.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

• Maine public housing tenants face high eviction rates. A new program to keep renters housed excludes them.
  — The Portland Press Herald ????
• NC groups host desirable trips where NC lawmakers, lobbyists can mingle. Who pays?
  — The News & Observer ????
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fights elders for promotion
  — The Wall Street Journal ????
• This land handout will bring apartments to a suburban Seattle light rail station
  — The Seattle Times ????

???? = source has article meter or paywall

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