LITA 22: Return of the Jedi: Colorado's Primary Recap, Progressive Wins, and What Comes Next
Ana and Deep break down Colorado's June 30 primary from the winners to the bummers to what's next. Phil Weiser walloped Michael Bennet despite Bloomberg's millions. Melat Kiros ended a 30-year DeGette era in CD-1 with 6,000 volunteers, 116,000 doors knocked, and 500,000 phone calls. Julie Gonzales came within 5 points of Hickenlooper, and Jena Griswold won AG in a fractured four-way field that ranked-choice voting would have fixed. Down-ballot, progressives ran the table: Chela Garcia Irlando, Iris Halpern, Gabriel Cervantes, and Kenny Van Nguyen all beat six-figure dark money attacks. One Main Street may be officially extinct. Then Ana and Deep look ahead to November: CD-3, CD-5, CD-8, the Sarah Parady vacancy for Denver’s City Council, and the fent@nyl, ICE, and graduated income tax ballot measures. Plus Hunter Biden on why "conviction beats caution."
We're hiring: Left in the Attic is looking for two part-time contract social media roles. Details and application form: https://forms.gle/okrxKoBXzwCvHLv4A
Graduated Income Tax, please sign:
https://protectcoloradosfuture.com/where-to-sign/
Ana asks Michael Bennet about his Trump cabinet votes:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY7udTYxpeN/
Deep’s X: https://x.com/DeepNotShallow/status/1806105148667621661
Ana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anafiredfed/
Join DSA Link: https://act.dsausa.org/donate/membership/
Watch out for Advance Colorado and West Group signature collectors: read before you sign!
00:00 Return Of The Jedi
00:32 Rentell Sponsor Read
01:35 Ana's First Primary Season
05:02 Turnout: Denver Up, State Up
07:56 Throw Out The Bums
09:07 Phil Beats Bennet
17:09 Melat Kiros Ended 30 Year Incumbent Career
19:14 Organized People Beat Organized Money
23:09 Community Built On Every Doorstep
23:39 Now For The Bummers
23:53 Julie Gonzales Came Within 5 Points
25:20 What Julie Left On The Table
26:12 The DSA Support That Never Came
28:05 The Case For A 2028 Rematch
28:57 The AG Race
30:27 Ranked Choice Voting Would Have Fixed It
32:04 Chela, Iris, Gabriel, Kenny: The Down-Ballot Sweep
35:55 November Preview: CD-3, CD-5, CD-8
37:51 The Sarah Parady Vacancy
39:16 Watch The Signature Collectors
41:21 Hunter Biden And The Death Of The Middle
43:11 Call To Action And Outro
Meet Your Hosts
Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit (see civicallyfit.org) to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action.
Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.
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