Progressives flex power at Democratic assembly
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Chanting "when we fight, we win," Colorado Democrats on Saturday overwhelmingly endorsed a challenger to an incumbent U.S. senator, a former two-term governor.
Why it matters: The progressive faction within the party flexed its influence at the state assembly in Pueblo and delivered a loud and clear message to their leaders: No seat is safe, especially not the status quo.
Driving the news: The nomination of state Sen. Julie Gonzales (D-Denver) to challenge U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Denver) in June's primary election is possibly the starkest example, but not the only one.
- A day earlier, 30-year incumbent U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette narrowly secured a position on the ballot to retain her 1st Congressional District seat in Denver.
- Spurred by progressive activists, the roughly 1,500 delegates voted to change the party platform to include "abolish ICE," replacing softer language that called for "dismantling" the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Zoom out: A number of the candidates and speakers who took the stage embraced the "abolish ICE" mantra and made other left-wing appeals, including pledges to repeal Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, tax the rich, protect trans students, ban assault weapons, outlaw private prisons and sue President Trump.
What they're saying: "We can't afford to sit back anymore," Carol Coppola, a 74-year-old delegate and retired teacher from Wheat Ridge, told us. "I think we need a … younger group [of leaders] that has a little moxie."
Reality check: The further left the Democratic Party shifts, the less it may appeal to unaffiliated voters — the majority in Colorado — and the rural Democrats it needs to win elections in Colorado.