Ask Colorado residents to identify the most important issue facing the state, and you'll learn political turmoil tops the list.

Why it matters: That concern significantly exceeded other issues in a newly released bipartisan survey from the Colorado Health Foundation and demonstrates how politics is at the root of other problems.

State of play: One-third of residents are concerned about politics and government, with the bulk of respondents criticizing the Trump administration and Republican leadership in the nation's capital, the survey found.

• The next two most pressing concerns in the open-ended question were cost of living (13%) and housing affordability (10%).
• The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3.07 percentage points.

By the numbers: Concern about politics tripled from a year ago, when it registered as the top issue for just 11% of respondents.

What they're saying: The foundation's Katie Peshek said the numbers reflect a shift in people blaming their concerns, such as housing affordability and the economy, on dysfunctional politics.

• Lori Weigel, a Republican who co-led the poll, echoed that sentiment. "Many are feeling very uncertain, and the concerns that respondents have been expressing over the past several years have not gone away," she said.

Between the lines: As more people feel hopeless about politics, they don't see a path to change.

• A plurality considered volunteering for social causes, writing elected leaders, and speaking at public meetings ineffective.

The bottom line: "Trust in government has eroded," Weigel said, "and people don't have confidence that their efforts to influence government will make a difference."

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The Pentagon abruptly pulled senior Defense Department officials from the Aspen Security Forum yesterday, a day before the four-day summit in Colorado was set to begin.

Why it matters: The Aspen Institute's bipartisan national security forum is among the most high-profile and exclusive on the national security and foreign policy circuits.

• It's attracted Republican and Democratic administration officials for years.

Driving the news: Yesterday, Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said the event "promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country, and hatred for the President of the United States," per Just the News.

• Wilson told Just The News that the Defense Department "has no interest in legitimizing an organization that has invited former officials who have been the architects of chaos abroad and failure at home."

Context: The Aspen Security Forum brings experts from across the globe together to debate what it calls the "most important security challenges facing the world."

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A Boulder entrepreneur who sold his own house without a real estate agent — and went viral — is launching a startup today to help others do the same.

Why it matters: Real estate commissions, typically 5%-6%, remain stubbornly high, even after last year's landmark antitrust settlement was supposed to shake up how agents get paid.

Driving the news: Mike Chambers is debuting his AI-fueled agent-free platform Ridley in Colorado.

• He made national headlines earlier this year when he successfully sought to prove he could sell his house without an agent after taking to social media with the handle @realtorshateme to chronicle the DIY process.
• He says most sellers don't need an agent — just the right tools. Ridley aims to be that toolkit.

What he's saying: "The No. 1 mission of this company is to empower consumers to take control of this process on their own and save tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary fees," Chambers told Axios Denver.

How it works: Ridley's desktop-only platform breaks the home-selling process into stages with checklists, AI guidance and human support. Tools include:

• Pricing guidance using AI that factors in upgrades, defects, features and market data.
• A property page builder for direct offers and showings.
• MLS access via partner brokerages, plus syndication to Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com.
• A document center with smart pre-filled forms and highlighted explanations.
• A vendor scheduler via Thumbtack for photographers, inspectors and more.

By the numbers: It's $999 for the base service, with add-ons available for MLS access and legal support.

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📌 Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order yesterday creating the Colorado Tariff Burden Reduction Task Force to find ways to lessen the impacts of President Trump's tariffs on the state's economy, John reports.

🥊 Colorado's attorney general is co-leading a new lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's move to freeze $80 million in education dollars earmarked for the state. (Axios Denver)

🚨 A man faces arson charges after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at election equipment in the Archuleta County Clerk's office in southwest Colorado last month. (CPR)

⛺️ Homeless advocates are disputing Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's claims of a sharp reduction in unsheltered homelessness. (​​RMPBS)

🗞️ The Boulder Weekly — a long-running, independently owned alt-weekly — lost its entire editorial staff, putting its future at risk. (Westword)

📍 The Hornet, a 30-year-old institution on South Broadway, is available for lease after the property was sold in May. (BusinessDen 🔑)

Catcher Hunter Goodman has emerged as a welcoming surprise during the Colorado Rockies' lowly season.

The big picture: Goodman will represent the Rockies in his debut season as the team's regular catcher during the MLB All-Star Game at Atlanta's Truist Park tonight after a strong early-season showing.

State of play: The Tennessee native leads the team in home runs (17), RBIs (52) and batting average (.277).

Case in point: Goodman has been smacking dingers all season, including hitting two in a game last month to secure a rare Rockies two-game sweep over the Washington Nationals.

How to watch: The 2025 MLB All-Star Game airs on FOX at 6pm.

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