Colorado's biggest primary in recent history will test what kind of Democratic Party voters really want.

Why it matters: The election is drawing national attention as a harbinger of where the major political parties are headed — and whether voters are embracing establishment incumbents or pushing for change.

State of play: Here are five storylines to watch tonight.

1. The power of the progressives. Three marquee races will demonstrate whether progressive challengers can crack Colorado's Democratic establishment.

• In the 1st Congressional District, Rep. Dianna DeGette faces her strongest primary challenge since first winning the seat in 1996. Melat Kiros' campaign has put the race on the national political map, including an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
• U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper remains the favorite against state Sen. Julie Gonzales, but his margin could reveal how much appetite Democratic voters have for an insurgent campaign.
• In the attorney general's race, David Seligman, a progressive nonprofit leader, has pledged to fight corporations and protect civil rights, earning support from the Denver Democratic Socialists of America.

2. The anti-Washington test. Three members of Colorado's congressional delegation face serious challengers: DeGette, Hickenlooper and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

• Bennet's race is the one to watch. His rival, AG Phil Weiser, has repeatedly tied Bennet to Washington while touting his own state-level experience.

3. Weiser's political ascent. A victory in the governor's race would cap one of Colorado's fastest political rises.

• Weiser narrowly won the Democratic nomination for AG in 2018 after defeating a progressive challenger. He cruised to reelection in 2022 without a primary opponent and would enter the governor's office after just eight years in statewide politics.

Two more

Downtown parking just got a lot cheaper. Denver is rolling out a pilot that lets drivers park in about 3,000 spaces for $5.

Why it matters: It's the latest experiment in Mayor Johnston's turnaround strategy to lure people back downtown post-pandemic.

The big picture: The SpotHero partnership kicks off this week and runs through September, unlocking thousands of underused parking spaces.

• The city recruited the company to launch what Johnston calls a "first-of-its-kind" program.

What he's saying: Driving through downtown with Axios yesterday, Johnston's pitch was: Make parking "simple, predictable and cheap" so people stop thinking twice about heading downtown.

• The goal, he said, is to rebuild the "muscle memory" of residents who fell out of the habit of visiting downtown amid safety concerns and years of construction.

📱 How it works: Drivers can reserve participating spaces for $5 through the SpotHero app or website.

• The discount applies Mondays and Fridays during the day, plus every weeknight beginning at 4pm. Weekend parking costs $5 for up to 12 hours.
• The mayor's office is also offering promo codes to waive SpotHero's 99-cent booking fee, starting with MILEHIGH5.

State of play: The push comes as signs of downtown's struggles persist.

• In the past week alone, multiple businesses — including longtime 16th Street staple Rock Bottom Brewery — closed, adding fuel to a recent Wall Street Journal article that labeled Denver home to the "emptiest downtown in the country."

What's next: Johnston hopes to expand the program to roughly 5,000 spaces by late summer.

Tell a driver

Speaking of parking...

Denver drivers could soon see more parking tickets as the city rebuilds its enforcement workforce and rolls out a new online citation review system.

👎 Why it matters: Fines are no fun.

Driving the news: The city is positioned to increase citation activity after hiring nine new officers — their highest daily staffing levels since 2025, transportation department spokesperson Nancy Kuhn tells us.

By the numbers: Amid staffing shortages, parking citations so far this year are the lowest since at least 2022, city data shows.

• Denver has issued about 138,700 parking citations through the first five months of the year — down 10% from the same period last year.

Between the lines: The city is counting on enhanced parking and traffic enforcement to help close a budget gap this year.

The bottom line: If you've gotten comfortable parking illegally, your luck may be running out.

What's next

💔 The three wildland firefighters who died Saturday while responding to a fire in Mesa County were identified as Emily Barker, 38, of Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Arizona; and Sydney Watson, 27, of Alabama. (Colorado Sun)

🔥 Three uncontained wildfires in western Colorado have grown to roughly 50,000 acres and spurred evacuations. Smoke is expected to blanket the state for most of the week, worsening air quality. (9News)

🗳️ The Colorado Supreme Court blocked five distinct but related ballot measures seeking to redraw congressional boundaries for the 2028 election. The measures were pushed by both Democrats and Republicans. (Colorado Politics 🔑)

📡 Englewood-based Dish DBS, the parent company of Dish TV and Boost Mobile, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as early as today after struggling for years with debt and subscriber losses. (WSJ 🔑)

The Utah agave at the Denver Botanic Gardens survived hail storms, snowstorms and a polar vortex.

• But like any living thing, it can't outrun Mother Nature.

The big picture: The 25-year-old plant recently reached its "death bloom," producing a stalk over 10 feet tall.

The bottom line: With only three to four more weeks left before it dies, the time to see the death bloom is now, Denver Botanic Gardens' Laura Swain tells us.

Tell a plant lover