Colorado Public Radio

Purplish

Purplish is a podcast about politics and policy and how they shape Coloradans’ lives, hosted by Colorado Public Radio’s public affairs reporter Bente Birkeland and reporters from the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. They break down the latest developments at the statehouse, in Congress and in local communities, to find the bigger picture behind the political headlines. Purplish is produced by CPR News with support from the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community R...

Author

Colorado Public Radio

Category

Government

Podcast website

www.cpr.org

Latest episode

Jul 3, 2026

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Episodes

What lawmakers did with their time 14.05.2022

Over the past 120 days, lawmakers have argued over justice reform, housing, behavioral health and so much more -- we'll wrap up everything they did -- and didn't -- get done.

With mental health, can Colorado achieve ‘transformative’ change? 05.05.2022

Colorado ranks last in the nation, when it comes to mental health care available, compared to the number of people who need it. This year state lawmakers are hoping to make a big difference in the problem.

The fight to ban Menthols and flavored vapes 22.04.2022

Lawmakers are debating whether to ban menthol cigarettes, flavored vapes and similar products. It's an issue that's pulled in tons of lobbying money and is causing some deep divisions between usual political allies.

Who’s on the primary ballot? 14.04.2022

And what do the choices made at the GOP state assembly say about the state of that party?

Colorado at the eye of an election conspiracy storm 07.04.2022

The story of how one county clerk came to believe in false claims about her own voting equipment, what it reveals about the many ways in which our election system […]

The past, and future, of abortion in Colorado 24.03.2022

Colorado has been a landmark state for both sides of the abortion debate: home to one of the earliest laws to liberalize access to the procedure, as well as the birthplace of the personhood movement. Now, with Roe v Wade in doubt at the federal level, state lawmakers are writing a new chapter Colorado's convoluted history on the issue.

Crime is rising in Colorado – is justice reform to blame? 11.03.2022

For more than a decade, Colorado lawmakers have pursued a range of criminal justice reforms.

Lawmakers’ brewing labor battle 25.02.2022

Some legislative leaders want to give all local public worker unions the power to collectively bargain, but they're up against a lot of powerful opponents.

Serving in the statehouse while running for Congress 10.02.2022

Seven percent of the state legislature is currently running for Congress — that’s the largest number in recent years and it speaks to the many ways in which this is […]

The housing crisis comes home to the Capitol 27.01.2022

With home values and rents rising at a dizzying rate, state lawmakers are rushing to try to address Colorado's housing crisis. They do have one ace up their sleeve: a whole lot of federal money.

Back to work at the Capitol 17.01.2022

The legislature has gaveled in its session. The governor has laid out his agenda. The cost of living and rising crime are high on the list of priorities on both sides of the aisle. What lies ahead for this year's policymaking?

Remembering the January 6th Capitol Riot 06.01.2022

When rioters broke into the U.S. Capitol a year ago, most members of the Colorado delegation were in the House and Senate chambers. A year later, the memories still haunt them.

What’s ahead when the legislature returns? 09.12.2021

It's beginning to look at lot like politics, at least for our public affairs team; everywhere they go they seem to be hearing about what's ahead at the legislature...

Hey, did you hear there was an election? 05.11.2021

And it gave us a lot to talk about.

Colorado Has A Map — If The Court Approves 30.09.2021

With minutes left on the clock, the congressional redistricting commission approved a new map. We give you the lowdown on what it looks like, what it means, and how commissioners got there.

Redistricting Deadline Looms 24.09.2021

Marathon Zoom sessions. Painstaking geographic descriptions. And the slow struggle toward something like consensus. We head inside the final days of the Congressional redistricting commission's work to see how they're trying to get it done.

Competition Vs Commonalities — A Conundrum For Redistricting 10.09.2021

Colorado is one of the few states where the rules for redistricting encourage competitive districts. But is competition really all it's cracked up to be?

Colorado’s Got A Brand New Map (But It’s Not The Final Map – Yet) 08.09.2021

Redistricting commission staff have released a new proposal that -- if adopted -- would make some dramatic changes to Colorado's congressional districts.

Communities Urge Redistricting Commission To Consider The Ties That Bind 03.09.2021

Two stories in this episode about different communities that are hoping to persuade the commissions to take their concerns into account as they draw their maps.

A Road Trip Through Colorado’s (Maybe) 8th District 01.09.2021

The first draft of the Congressional map puts the state's newest district north and east of Denver. We hit the road to hear what residents think of that idea.

Redistricting Highlights Challenges To Latino Representation 27.08.2021

Denver's Northside, historic home of the Chicano movement, has been getting whiter over the last decade. At the same time, some suburbs, like Commerce City, have seen their Latino populations increase. How Colorado's new political maps reflect these changes could have a big impact on the state's Latino representation.

Colorado ‘Nonpartisan’ Redistricting Process Is Still Plenty Political 25.08.2021

Republican relief, a bit of Democratic chagrin, and a whole lot of thumbs hoping to sneak onto all sorts of scales -- we look at the political side of Colorado's new approach to redistricting.

Redistricting: What You Need To Know To Learn The Things You Need To Learn 20.08.2021

Colorado's redistricting is in the hands of new independent commissions -- we explain what led up to the change and how the process is works.

Get ready for Purplish: The Great Redraw 19.08.2021

Redistricting: that once-in-a-decade process with huge implications for representation and the balance of power, in Colorado and nationwide. In a special season of Purplish, we look deep into how the state's new process is working and what may come of it.

That’s All, Folks! 10.06.2021

Everything you need to know about the end of session, from 11th hour bill failures to last minute filibusters to post-session caucus infighting, all brought to you by two hosts who really, really need to get some sleep.

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