Purplish

By Colorado Public Radio

What's Purplish about?

Purplish is CPR News' podcast about state politics, state government, elections and political identity. Hosted by public affairs reporters Bente Birkeland and Andrew Kenney.

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Purplish episodes:

06.14.2024
The primary fight for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District
With Rep. Lauren Boebert out of the running, which of the half dozen Republicans trying for the seat is likely to win the primary and take on Democrat Adam Frisch?
06.07.2024
In eastern Colorado, a primary and a vacancy election
What to make of the nine major party candidates -- including Rep. Lauren Boebert -- all running in Colorado's fourth congressional district? And how does the vacancy race to fill out Ken Buck's term factor into it all?
05.31.2024
What are Colorado voters worried about?
From the future of our democracy to the state of their bank accounts, Colorado voters have been telling us about their top concerns for the upcoming election.
05.11.2024
Ending on a high note
Lawmakers were in an usually good mood as they wrapped up their session this week, a marked change from recent years.
05.03.2024
Drinking at the Colorado Capitol
Lawmakers say sharing an occasional drink can build camaraderie and release stress during long days under the golden dome, but the legislature’s long tradition of social drinking comes with risks […]
04.19.2024
The new oil and gas war
Battles over air quality and the future of drilling are threatening to spill out of the state capitol and onto your ballot.
04.05.2024
Is Colorado really about to commit to passenger rail?
The state has a “train guy” for governor, and the federal government is offering billions in funding.
03.22.2024
Lawmakers’ $1.5B tax credit battle royale
Spending limits make it hard for the legislature to put new priorities in the budget. But the tax code is another matter altogether.
03.08.2024
Is Colorado’s medical aid in dying law too hard to use?
Each year, hundreds of Coloradans with terminal illnesses use medication to aid their deaths. But guardrails put in to prevent abuse can turn into major roadblocks for patients. Now lawmakers are considering some changes to the policy.
02.23.2024
What do all the new immigrant arrivals mean for Colorado?
Denver is cutting its budget to keep up with the cost of sheltering the steady flow of arrivals from the southern border, and that's leading to strain between cities, and questions about what role the state should play.
02.08.2024
The first month of session, down
The session started with a protest over the war in Gaza and the issue has continued to reverberate.
01.29.2024
Inside the fight to keep Space Command in Colorado
From fateful tarmac conversations to contentious committee hearings, Colorado leaders tell the inside of story of their years'-long fight to ensure the high tech command stays in the state permanently. And why it may not be over yet.
01.23.2024
Tina Peters is headed to trial – how did we get here?
The Mesa County clerk is accused of breaching the security of her office's election computers in order to hunt for evidence of massive fraud. How did Peters, a political novice who ran on lowering DMV wait times, become such a...
01.10.2024
The legislature returns: what lies ahead?
Lawmakers start their annual session Wednesday, after an off-season that contained more than the usual number of bumps and bruises.
11.16.2023
Could this Colorado case determine Trump’s political future?
We break down the electoral courtroom drama playing out in Denver right now.
10.20.2023
What’s up with Prop. II?
The state collected more money from new tobacco and nicotine taxes than it expected, and now voters must decide what to do.
10.17.2023
What’s up with Prop. HH?
Wondering what this Prop. HH measure you see on your ballot is all about? We explain what this proposal would mean for your finances, and the state's.
06.02.2023
Colorado Springs’ next mayor is a man few thought would win. What happened?
Yes, politics may be shifting in this conservative bulwark, but that's only one part of the story.
05.11.2023
Land use, property taxes and party conflicts — how the legislature wrapped up
The end of session brought dramatic developments, bruising disagreements and a few goofy moments.
05.04.2023
The legislature’s spending dance
Here’s a math problem for you: how do you get hundreds of different bills to add up to one balanced budget?
04.21.2023
The year that could change how Colorado grows
Single-family homes have ruled Colorado development for a century, but Gov. Jared Polis and his allies believe the future needs to look very different.
04.06.2023
Colorado’s blockbuster filibuster (and why it matters)
As Republican lawmakers adapt to their ‘super-minority’ in the House, they’re grappling with a big question: is it better to negotiate when they can, or dig in on delays?
03.24.2023
Xcel’s winter of discontent
Sky-high utility bills and record corporate profits have many Coloradans — and lawmakers — asking if it’s time to rethink Xcel’s business model.
03.11.2023
Disability rights at center stage
Housing, recreation, government -- advocates for people with disabilities say there are a lot of ways Colorado could be doing more to make those things accessible to all.
03.03.2023
Rent control in Colorado?
The policy has been banned in Colorado for four decades, but that could all change this year.
02.10.2023
How Colorado’s gun laws have changed from frontier days to today
From the founding of the state to modern mass shootings, we look at the forces that have driven changes to Colorado law over the years, and what it means for this year's brewing debate.
01.20.2023
The Polis Agenda
In the first State of the State speech of his second term, Gov. Polis picked a big fight with local governments, while saying little on a major priority for many in his party.
01.13.2023
The legislature is back: what do they want to do?
State lawmakers have returned to session in Denver. We cover a bit of DC-style drama on opening day, and hear from congressional reporter Caitlyn Kim how the actual DC drama went down with the many, many Speaker votes.
11.11.2022
Is Colorado a blue state now?
Yes, we know what happened Tuesday, but we're still not changing the name of the podcast.
11.04.2022
What we’re watching for on Election Day
The big day is almost here and our team looks at where the campaigns, the polling and the voters stand, as things come down to the wire.
10.28.2022
What keeps our elections safe?
Colorado's election system has all sorts of checks built in to prevent fraud and subversion, but much of it happens out of public view. We go through some of the biggest security measures -- and some of the biggest conspiracy...
10.22.2022
All your 2022 ballot measures explained (plus a few weird ones from history)
There are 11 statewide measures on the ballot this year, and we're here to give you the key points on each of them. Oh, and Andy plays stump-the-hosts with 140 years of initiative history.
10.14.2022
Housing on your ballot
Coloradans are increasingly naming housing as a top issue, and it's one that will appear on ballots this fall in a couple of ways.
09.29.2022
Colorado’s Latino voters and the 2022 races
One in six Colorado voters is Latino, a fact the campaigns are very, very aware of. But are candidates and parties forging meaningful connections, or just falling back on transactional habits?
09.15.2022
Moderates in the Midterm
Senate candidate Joe O'Dea is getting national attention for his views on abortion, Trump and other issues that set him apart from many in his party. But will his positions be enough to win over the moderate voters so crucial...
06.30.2022
What did we learn from the primary?
Colorado's Republican establishment is celebrating a night of victories that they believe will give them a leg up on the general election, and could even be a turning point for their party.
06.25.2022
Unaffiliated Voters — the big question mark
the primary approaches, one big question is what influence an influx of unaffiliated voters might have on the GOP selection contests.
06.17.2022
The GOP Divide
The party is torn between its grassroots, with their concerns about the 2020 election and their hunger for a more combative tone from lawmakers, and its more traditional voters, who […]
05.14.2022
What lawmakers did with their time
Over the past 120 days, lawmakers have argued over justice reform, housing, behavioral health and so much more -- we'll wrap up everything they did -- and didn't -- get done.
05.05.2022
With mental health, can Colorado achieve ‘transformative’ change?
Colorado ranks last in the nation, when it comes to mental health care available, compared to the number of people who need it. This year state lawmakers are hoping to make a big difference in the problem.
04.22.2022
The fight to ban Menthols and flavored vapes
Lawmakers are debating whether to ban menthol cigarettes, flavored vapes and similar products. It's an issue that's pulled in tons of lobbying money and is causing some deep divisions between usual political allies.
04.14.2022
Who’s on the primary ballot?
And what do the choices made at the GOP state assembly say about the state of that party?
04.07.2022
Colorado at the eye of an election conspiracy storm
The story of how one county clerk came to believe in false claims about her own voting equipment, what it reveals about the many ways in which our election system […]
03.24.2022
The past, and future, of abortion in Colorado
Colorado has been a landmark state for both sides of the abortion debate: home to one of the earliest laws to liberalize access to the procedure, as well as the birthplace of the personhood movement. Now, with Roe v Wade...
03.11.2022
Crime is rising in Colorado – is justice reform to blame?
For more than a decade, Colorado lawmakers have pursued a range of criminal justice reforms.
02.25.2022
Lawmakers’ brewing labor battle
Some legislative leaders want to give all local public worker unions the power to collectively bargain, but they're up against a lot of powerful opponents.
02.10.2022
Serving in the statehouse while running for Congress
Seven percent of the state legislature is currently running for Congress — that’s the largest number in recent years and it speaks to the many ways in which this is […]
01.27.2022
The housing crisis comes home to the Capitol
With home values and rents rising at a dizzying rate, state lawmakers are rushing to try to address Colorado's housing crisis. They do have one ace up their sleeve: a whole lot of federal money.
01.17.2022
Back to work at the Capitol
The legislature has gaveled in its session. The governor has laid out his agenda. The cost of living and rising crime are high on the list of priorities on both sides of the aisle. What lies ahead for this year's...
01.06.2022
Remembering the January 6th Capitol Riot
When rioters broke into the U.S. Capitol a year ago, most members of the Colorado delegation were in the House and Senate chambers. A year later, the memories still haunt them.

What's Purplish about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Purplish episodes:

The primary fight for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District

In eastern Colorado, a primary and a vacancy election

What are Colorado voters worried about?

Ending on a high note

Drinking at the Colorado Capitol

The new oil and gas war

Is Colorado really about to commit to passenger rail?

Lawmakers’ $1.5B tax credit battle royale

Is Colorado’s medical aid in dying law too hard to use?

What do all the new immigrant arrivals mean for Colorado?

The first month of session, down

Inside the fight to keep Space Command in Colorado

Tina Peters is headed to trial – how did we get here?

The legislature returns: what lies ahead?

Could this Colorado case determine Trump’s political future?

What’s up with Prop. II?

What’s up with Prop. HH?

Colorado Springs’ next mayor is a man few thought would win. What happened?

Land use, property taxes and party conflicts — how the legislature wrapped up

The legislature’s spending dance

The year that could change how Colorado grows

Colorado’s blockbuster filibuster (and why it matters)

Xcel’s winter of discontent

Disability rights at center stage

Rent control in Colorado?

How Colorado’s gun laws have changed from frontier days to today

The Polis Agenda

The legislature is back: what do they want to do?

Is Colorado a blue state now?

What we’re watching for on Election Day

What keeps our elections safe?

All your 2022 ballot measures explained (plus a few weird ones from history)

Housing on your ballot

Colorado’s Latino voters and the 2022 races

Moderates in the Midterm

What did we learn from the primary?

Unaffiliated Voters — the big question mark

The GOP Divide

What lawmakers did with their time

With mental health, can Colorado achieve ‘transformative’ change?

The fight to ban Menthols and flavored vapes

Who’s on the primary ballot?

Colorado at the eye of an election conspiracy storm

The past, and future, of abortion in Colorado

Crime is rising in Colorado – is justice reform to blame?

Lawmakers’ brewing labor battle

Serving in the statehouse while running for Congress

The housing crisis comes home to the Capitol

Back to work at the Capitol

Remembering the January 6th Capitol Riot

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