What’s next after Biden’s big decision

Good morning!

What a monumental and consequential weekend! And no, I’m not talking about Todd Helton’s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The story of the moment is, of course, President Joe Biden’s decision, less than a month before the Democratic National Convention, to not seek reelection. We have much more in today’s newsletter on how this decision could affect Colorado, including how local delegates are reacting and notes on the inner workings of presidential nominations.

But don’t worry, we also have our usual dose of local news, so let’s get this party started, shall we?

Eric Lubbers

CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE NEWS

ELECTION 2024

President Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 election. Here’s how Colorado leaders are reacting.

In a written announcement, President Joe Biden said he would step out of the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. With 106 days until the election, the move is unique in the modern political era, but Colorado leaders are largely praising Biden for the decision.

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• Colorado’s DNC delegates start rallying around Kamala Harris as Biden exits presidential race. Reporters Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish have been polling the delegates heading to the Democratic National Convention since the move was announced, and most who have responded are throwing support behind the vice president, though some are saying it’s too early to declare.
• Until 1968, presidential candidates were picked by party conventions — a process revived by Biden’s withdrawal from race. Philip Klinkner of Hamilton College has a great piece from The Conversation detailing how the process of choosing presidential candidates is actually a throwback to the original function of party conventions. 
• Kamala Harris, endorsed by Biden, could become first woman, second Black person to be president. Should Harris receive the nomination and ultimately win the election, Harris would be breaking a number of barriers, including being the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office.
• Democratic state rep drops reelection bid, may make it harder for party to keep Colorado House supermajority. On Friday, Rep. Jennifer Parenti, D-Erie, announced she wouldn’t be running for reelection, blaming personal agendas and special interests for making the job too difficult, saying she “cannot continue to serve while maintaining my own sense of integrity.” Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish analyze how a fresh race in a toss-up district could affect next year’s legislature.

HEALTH

How extreme heat in Colorado may have contributed to an extraordinary outbreak of bird flu in people

When a commercial flock of chickens is infected with bird flu, the standard practice is grim but efficient — kill all the birds at the farm. But with temperatures around 100 degrees during the recent bird flu outbreak, John Ingold reports that an unprecedented six human infections in Weld County could be connected to difficulties using the heavy, unbreathable-by-design PPE required for the job.

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HOUSING

Lawsuits challenging Summit County regulation of short-term rentals dismissed by federal courts

Two lawsuits — filed by a coalition of more than 100 property owners and residents in Summit County — challenged the county’s rules that limit the number of bookings and impose a 2% fine on rental income, arguing that the rules were arbitrary, discriminatory and not based on data. But as Jason Blevins reports, U.S. District Court Judge Nina Wang dismissed one of the lawsuits, saying “second-guessing by a court is not allowed.”

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SOCIAL SERVICES

Demand for Colorado’s paid-family and medical leave less than expected

Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program, which is managed by the state but funded by workers and employers, paid out more than $311 million in benefits in its first six months. But as Tamara Chuang explains, that’s quite a bit lower than the $552.7 million that the state anticipated — and now the state is on a mission to make sure workers know about the program and how to use it.

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ECONOMY

Repurposing old stuff in Colorado can be profitable

The difference between recycling and repurposing has never been more clear than when you step into RepurposedMaterials in Westminster. Tamara Chuang digs into the “industrial thrift store” that includes whiskey barrels, fire hoses, steel I beams and other large scale materials that can have a useful second life. All this and more from the Colorado economy in the latest edition of “What’s Working.”

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MORE NEWS

• Boulder named one of six finalists to host the iconic Sundance Film Festival. Sundance Institute announced potential locations for the 10-day festival, which has been held in Park City, Utah, since 1985.
• Has Colorado ever been picked to host the Olympics? Justin George explains why the state turned down its invitation to host the 1976 Winter Olympics, as part of The Colorado Sun’s ongoing partnership with Gigafact. 

COLORADO SUNDAY

Garlic from this Colorado farm is making neighbors give up grocery store bulbs for good

Green Acres U-Pick, on the western outskirts of Palisade, is the most prolific grower of garlic varieties in Colorado. Owners Bob and Elaine Korver do almost all of the planting and harvesting by hand to grow over 60 varieties of garlic that originate from all over the world. About 1,500 pounds of bulbs will be liberated in the next several weeks.

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Section by Eric Lubbers | CTO & Newsletter Wrangler

THE COLORADO REPORT

• Pueblo’s having a sizzling hot summer. Here’s what it might mean for the annual chile crop. The scorching heat is just what the growers ordered — it’s the vital ingredient for their Pueblo chile plants as they make their final push toward harvest time.
  — The Pueblo Chieftain 🔑
• Colorado toll lane violations are plunging after state’s automated ticketing blitz. The number of violations on some Colorado highway toll lanes has dropped by 80% since the state started issuing tickets via an automated system last year.
  — Colorado Public Radio
• Estes Park’s new mayor plays in a Grateful Dead cover band, climbs 14ers and is working to quiet the town’s turbulence. Gary Hall believes he’s the right person to guide the town as it sees fewer visitors and a lack of affordable housing for its workers.
  — The Denver Post 🔑

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Olivia Prentzel | Reporter

THE OPINION PAGE

COLUMNS

• The choice was hard for Joe Biden. Now Dems face their own hard choices. The momentum to quickly coronate Kamala Harris as the nominee is great. Is the need for an open contest just as great?
  — Mike Littwin
• The convention speech proved there’s no New Trump. Can Dems beat the old one?
  — Mike Littwin 
•  Thank you, President Biden. You’ve proved Democrats put America First.  In an era of self-serving Republican extremists, nothing demonstrates more patriotism than Biden’s decision to put country over self.
  — Trish Zornio
• My wild, strange trip deep into the heart of MAGA country.  We need to start stepping out of our comfortable bubbles and start listening to each other to bridge the political divide.
  — Diane Carman 

CARTOONS

• The little engine that probably won’t show up anytime soon. Gov. Jared Polis looks at Front Range train service as his parting gift to the people of Colorado. But when will it arrive?
  — Peter Moore

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggest writers or provide feedback at opinion@coloradosun.com.

Thanks for starting your week with us. And if you aren’t already subscribed to The Unaffiliated — our weekly roundup of Colorado Politics news, analysis and behind-the-scenes notes — it would be a great time to start as the general election continues to heat up. Just head to coloradosun.com/unaffiliated to subscribe!

Have a great Monday and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

— Eric and the whole staff of The Sun

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Corrections & Clarifications

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