Colorado Inside Out

Colorado’s political landscape is shifting, with surprising congressional victories, Democratic supermajorities at the State Capitol, and a changing map in traditionally Republican districts. The Insiders also look at the ballot measures that passed and failed, the potential implications as lawmakers prepare for the next legislative session, and the questions facing both parties — and a state that...

With Election Day just days away, the Insiders discuss voter turnout and the growing debate over election oversight. Which Colorado ballot measures are capturing their attention, and what factors could influence voters’ decisions? And what about the millions of dollars being spent to influence voters — does campaign funding transparency matter? The Insiders also share their projections, the surpri...

With Election Day just over a week away, several of Colorado’s traditionally Republican congressional districts are looking more competitive. The panel examines the legal battle over Amendment 87 and whether the proposal to change Colorado’s income tax system will remain on the ballot. Two other proposed constitutional amendments raise questions about voter identity verification and making ballot...

This week on Colorado Inside Out, we examine the 2026 election as Colorado voters begin receiving their ballots. Our Insider panel shares what stood out to them from the only expected face-to-face discussion between gubernatorial candidates Phil Weiser and Victor Marx, and discuss why candidates are increasingly skipping debates and forums. We dig into Amendment 87 and the debate over changing Col...

Colorado Republicans are breaking with their party’s gubernatorial nominee, raising questions about what those endorsements reveal about the choices facing voters. That tops the conversation on this week’s Colorado Inside Out, along with reaction to key political debates that put candidates face to face for the first and only time this season. The Insiders also examine state legislative races that...

This week’s Colorado Inside Out acknowledges how the 2026 election season is entering a new phase with ballots now heading to voters. The race for governor takes center stage, along with the growing challenge of housing affordability.  The panel looks at a changing drug landscape, from contaminated vape cartridges to a new synthetic opioid and the growing scrutiny of kratom. And the U.S. Supreme C...

With Colorado ballots heading out next week, election security is in focus, and a last-minute lawsuit is challenging the proposed graduated income tax measure. Immigration detention is back in the spotlight, with a new legal fight over a planned facility in Hudson and continued concerns about the Aurora facility.  Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is talking affordability with New York’s mayor, while Den...

All systems are go after this week’s Supreme Court ruling — voting by mail will continue as planned, with Colorado ballots heading to voters in two weeks. Also in two weeks, a major change is coming to the Colorado River as the federal government takes over management. Washington and Colorado are moving in different directions on energy and the environment, while data centers are heating up the de...

Colorado’s November election is heating up, with a crowded ballot and growing concerns about voter participation, campaign spending and trust in the democratic process. We examine the debate over Colorado’s public lands, federal disaster aid following devastating wildfires and floods, and the controversy surrounding the state’s wolf reintroduction program. Plus, a look at several high-profile lega...

Colorado’s November election is set, but questions remain about how smoothly it will be administered — from mail delivery to protecting voters’ private information. We examine the growing debate over campaign money, legal challenges surrounding ICE enforcement, and the disappearance of maternity care in rural Colorado. Plus, a lighter look at Denver’s newest reality: driverless Waymo cars on our s...

Plans for Colorado’s midterm election are moving forward, as new federal efforts regarding mail ballots create some confusion. Election officials everything will go as planned. On Colorado Inside Out, we look at the latest measures to make the ballot as the deadline to qualify appraoches. In Denver, could a rising Democratic Socialist movement give mayoral challenger Shontel Lewis a real shot agai...

On this week’s Colorado Inside Out, we examine how Colorado and the Trump administration are increasingly at odds. Colorado is also taking legal action against the company running the Aurora ICE detention center over access to health records in a tuberculosis investigation. As students head back to school, new testing results show progress in some areas — and persistent gaps in others. And the Ins...

This week on Colorado Inside Out, we examine the changing boundaries of political coverage as candidates, journalists and voters navigate debates, past statements and when family becomes part of political coverage. We explore Colorado’s very different approaches to the growing demand for data centers — and the tension between economic opportunity and demands on our resources. With wildfires still...

Colorado's campaign season begins to take shape as new polling hints at competitive races across the state. On this week’s Colorado Inside Out, we discuss the rollout of Colorado's new gun law, leadership changes at Denver City Hall, and the Colorado stories our panel believes deserve your attention as summer winds down.

As Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood, Colorado Inside Out reflects on the achievements, challenges, and choices shaping the state’s next chapter. We discuss Colorado’s top ranking for education, the future of elections, and a changing political landscape. We explore the balance between growth, preservation, and protecting what makes Colorado unique. And we consider what we’ve learned from...

Colorado turns 150 years old in one week and a new statewide poll reveals what residents love, worry about, and hope for in the future. This week, Colorado Inside Out also examines Denver’s State of the City, the political strategy behind Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser’s choice of Jefferson County Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper as his running mate, and the ongoing debate over Color...

This week on Colorado Inside Out, we examine the latest debate over election integrity and what it means for trust in Colorado's elections. We also discuss whether Republicans can build unity heading into November, the mixed signals surrounding Colorado's economy, and new developments in immigration enforcement. 

This week on Colorado Inside Out… a razor-thin Republican governor’s race raises questions about recounts, party unity, and what comes next for the GOP. We’ll look at the impact of Colorado’s progressive primary victories and whether they signal a broader political shift. Then, with a major transition of leadership coming to the state, what will a changing Capitol mean for Colorado’s future? And a...

Colorado voters have spoken, and the primary election results are already reshaping the political conversation heading into November. This week on Colorado Inside Out, the panel breaks down the strong showing by progressive Democrats, the surprisingly close Republican race for governor, and what the primary results could mean for both parties. We also take a closer look at how Colorado administers...

With Primary Election Day just days away, Colorado Inside Out examines a campaign season coming down to the wire as voters prepare to lock in their final decisions. The Insider panel also looks at the growing role of money in Colorado politics, with major donations and outside spending shaping key races and raising questions about whether this is the new normal. The show also covers the Missy Wood...

The primary election is almost here and the mud is flying! This week on Colorado Inside Out… we talk about who’s ahead in the final weeks and the Denver Public Schools ban on student cellphones, is it a good idea? And what’s to “HOWL” about regarding Colorado Parks and Wildlife, we dig into that discussion too. Krista Kafer fills in as Guest Host for Kyle Dyer.

 Colorado ballots are in the mail, and the final sprint to Primary Day is underway. On this week’s Colorado Inside Out, we break down campaign strategy, debate season, and the role age may play in politics. Plus, federal scrutiny of metro-area school districts and financial pressures reshaping Colorado higher education.

This week on Colorado Inside Out: a pair of gubernatorial debates put Colorado's political future on center stage, Tina Peters is back in the headlines following her early release from prison, and with ballots arriving in the mail next week, the Insiders examine why voter turnout remains such a challenge in primary elections. 

With just one month until Colorado’s primary, campaigns are in the final sprint — ads are up, debates are heating up, and races are shifting. On Colorado Inside Out this week, we have some varying perspectives into the different candidates who are in the spotlight. And, we’re also looking at youth mental health and safety concerns, new questions around national park access and fees, and growing pr...

This episode of Colorado Inside Out covers Governor Polis’ sentence commutation of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and the debate over that decision, along with its potential electoral consequences as Colorado’s primary approaches next month. The Insiders also discuss a Colorado Supreme Court ruling involving Children’s Hospital Colorado, placing the hospital between state civil rights obliga...