AI Summary
5 min readColorado Democrats are in a strange mood. They live in a state that has turned reliably blue, but they are not happy with the people who got them there. In a series of focus groups conducted for The Focus Group Podcast, host Sarah Longwell and Colorado journalist Kyle Clark — host of Next with Kyle Clark on 9News — dissected the state’s June 30th primaries. The conversation revealed a Democratic electorate that is deeply anti-incumbent, desperate for fighters, and increasingly willing to turn on the party’s own long-serving figures. The episode is a case study in how the national mood of “throw the bums out” is playing out in a state that is no longer a swing state but is still full of swingy, unsettled primaries.
The Cicada of Confrontation vs. The AG with a Hammer
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:44) **Introduction: Colorado's Anti-Incumbent Primaries** - Sarah Longwell sets up the episode: three longtime Colorado Democrats facing anti-incumbent headwinds in their June 30th primaries.
- 2 (02:48) **Lauren Boebert: Growth, Contradictions, and the "Bulk Discount" on Dishonesty** - Kyle Clark discusses his first extended interview with Boebert in seven years, noting her evolution and contradictions.
- 3 (11:18) **The "Rambo Reverend" Problem: Confronting a Liar on Stage** - Clark plays a clip of his debate exchange with GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Victor Marks, who claims an extraordinary life story.
- 4 (14:04) **The Journalist's Bind: Making Voters Care About Character** - Clark and Longwell discuss the asymmetry in how journalists cover habitual liars vs. truth-tellers.
- 5 (18:35) **The Governor's Race: Bennett vs. Weiser** - Focus group reactions to the Democratic primary for governor between Senator Michael Bennett and AG Phil Weiser.
- 6 (29:34) **Weiser's Appeal: The "Fighter" vs. the "Cicada of Confrontation"** - Focus group reactions to Phil Weiser, and Clark's analysis of the race's defining line.
- 7 (38:17) **The Senate Race: Hickenlooper's Age and the "Thank You for Your Service" Vote** - Focus group reactions to 74-year-old Senator John Hickenlooper and his primary challenger, Julie Gonzalez.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Colorado isn't much of a swing state anymore, but we're covering its primaries anyway. Both of its senators and one longtime member of Congress are facing bigger headwinds than you might expect. Our focus groups of Colorado Democrats will tell you why. Kyle Clark, host of Next with Kyle Clark, joins Sarah to discuss Colorado's upcoming primaries. Plus: Kyle's crazy run-in with the Republican frontrunner for governor, whether Rep. Lauren Boebert has gotten less crazy, and how Democrats feel about Gov. Jared Polis's pardon of Tina Peters.
Show notes:
Kyle's interview with Rep. Lauren Boebert
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