Red County, Blue State

The commissioners persist in the dangerous and racist lie about a local doctor and blame everyone but themselves for the crushing home rule loss. When you gaslight folks, they’re going to respond. Edited 7/10/25 to add: Kyle Clark and 9News coverage of this meeting after this episode was published . Types of meetings that the commissioners have . Commissioner calendar Interested in giving the invo...

The Democrats are marching in the Highlands Ranch 4th of July parade tomorrow (short notice from me! I know!). Meet at the Kaiser Permanente in HR, 9285 Hepburn St, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 at 8am. County Commissioners meeting—their first business meeting since their home rule defeat. July 8 at 1:30pm, 100 Third Street. If you can’t make it in person, stream here . Abe Laydon’ Pride post . A Bit...

We did it! Over 70% of voters voted no on home rule under these commissioners and Stop the Power Grab candidates dominated the at-large and district races. Community organizer Angela Thomas was the one to educate us on this issue, and she’s the one who’s going to break down the election with me—and answer some pressing questions. Commissioner Teal’s comments about putting home rule on the ballot a...

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Election Day is June 24! Get your ballot in and if you already have, keep talking to your neighbors and posting on social media. Go team! Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger of 9NEWS weighed in on home rule and came to the same conclusion that the Vote No side has been saying all along: “those claims [about opting out of certain state laws] by Republican county commissioners don't check out.” The com...

Today my guest is Kim Turnage, Ph. D. A 16-year DougCo resident and unaffiliated voter, Kim Turnage spent 20 years advising business and nonprofit leaders on how to get better results through people and data and currently freelances as an organizational strategist and executive coach. This episode is a deeper dive into the citizen survey results and it begs the question: why did Douglas County com...

What would a good faith effort at home rule look like? What would a bad faith effort look like, and why does it look like Douglas County? Who (or what) is behind the Yes on Local Control efforts? I would say this is my closing argument but you know there is going to be more news. You can reach me at emilysuyat@gmail.com Filling out your ballot? The home rule ballot explained Don’t know what home r...

Here’s a review and fact check of the one hour town hall on home rule in Douglas County. One whole hour! With some casual electioneering from the dais. Cool cool. Link to recording of town hall: Proposed Douglas County timeline above. ABOUT THE CHARTER TIMELINE: I recorded this late late at night and I misspoke in the podcast, I said August 8 is when the public meetings end but it’s August 12. I h...

Update on the county commissioner’s citizen survey on home rule and how I shifted from being a Republican to a Democrat in Douglas County. It’s all connected. Douglas County Citizen 2023 Survey Results: https://www.douglas.co.us/documents/2023-citizen-survey-results.pdf/ Douglas County Citizen 2025 Survey as reported on DougCo website: https://www.douglas.co.us/view-full-results-of-the-douglas-cou...

Let’s talk about the ballot for the June 24 special election in Douglas County! Questions? Email me at emilysuyat@gmail.com Don’t know what commissioner district you live in? Type in your address here: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b9005d68095345eb8a59c90e020edbf6 then click county commissioners. If it's Abe Laydon, you're District 1, if it's George Teal, you're District 2...

A deeper dive today! This one is about the application of yet another charter school in Douglas County. John Adams Academy is pulling every lever and political favor trying to get its foot in the door in Sterling Ranch. I interview Lori Wright, a parent in Sterling Ranch, who connects the dots for us. Further reading on John Adams Academy’s push to open a school in Sterling Ranch: https://www.cbsn...

Thanks again to Rep Marshall for the interview. Learn more about Douglas County’s rush to home rule in the Home Rule Series of this podcast. View the complaint against the commissioners and exhibits (scroll down til you see them): https://www.stopdougcopowergrab.com/post/lora-thomas-s-spotlight-25-11 The gofundme to support the lawsuit .Scorcher of an article on our commissioners by Paula Noonan:...

Thanks again to Rep Marshall for the interview. Learn more about Douglas County’s rush to home rule in the Home Rule Series of this podcast, episodes 4-6. View the complaint against the commissioners and exhibits (scroll down til you see them): https://www.stopdougcopowergrab.com/post/lora-thomas-s-spotlight-25-11 Watch George Teal’s comments at the last commissioner meeting where no public commen...

Here’s how we Get Sh*t Done (GSD) and show up this week: 1. Hands Off! DougCo Takes Action Protest on the Lone Tree Bridge, April 19 at 11:45am-2pm. Details here: actionnetwork.org/event… 2. Douglas County Commissioner meeting , April 22 at 1:30pm in Castle Rock, 100 Third Street. So many questions we can ask and comments we can make! We can also just sit and observe. 3. Empty Chair Town Hall for...

This is part 3 of the 3 part series on Home Rule in Douglas County. In this episode, Angela Thomas, community organizer, talks about how candidates for the charter commission get on the ballot, and George Teal’s explicit (and likely expensive) plans to ignore state law. Follow Angela Thomas on Facebook and/or sign up here to receive updates (this is the QR code link that she mentioned). Angela can...

This is part 2 of the 3 part series on Home Rule in Douglas County. In this episode, Angela Thomas, community organizer, talks about what home rule is, how it can (and can’t) be used, and what exactly we will be voting for on June 24. Follow Angela Thomas on Facebook or sign up here to receive updates . Angela can be reached via email at angthomas2025@gmail.com. To receive updates from Republican...

This is the first part of a three part series on the Douglas County Commission’s push for Douglas County to move to Home Rule status. This episode lays the foundation for our discussion on Home Rule by providing a general understanding of how government works in Douglas County (including facts that aren’t obvious or on a website) and taking a look at the commissioners who think we should be exempt...

It’s time for moral courage. Watch Rep Bob Marshall’s town hall here .Ways to GSD (Get Stuff Done) this week: * If you can, attend the Hands Off! National Day of Action on April 5. More info https://handsoff2025.com . If there’s not a Day of Action near you, send your good thoughts to those protesting! * If you live in Highlands Ranch CO, you have upcoming local elections that really matter. Your...

Read more about Douglas County’s resolution to use (or more accurately, misuse) Home Rule Authority: Denver Post gift article . WAYS TO MEET PEOPLE, HAVE FUN, GSD (get stuff done): * Tesla Takedown this Saturday in Littleton, 11am-1pm. It’s a peaceful protest, bring your signs! Click here for more info . * Rep Bob Marshall’s Town Hall. Rep Marshall represents HD43 (mostly Highlands Ranch) at the C...

If you live in Parker or Castle Rock CO, your state lawmakers held a town hall in February and one yesterday. The February one was a typical town hall, the second one…was not. Listen for more. Get full access to Red County, Blue State at esuyat.substack.com/subscribe