Brian Watson, a Denver developer and former Republican candidate for Colorado treasurer, is facing charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission that he lied about his level of investment to 350 investors before collecting $49.5 million for 10 real estate projects, court documents show. The “false and misleading” statements Watson made about his “skin in […]
Brian Watson
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Super PAC money dominated 2018 election and Democrats controlled the cash race
Super PAC money led Colorado to record-setting spending in the 2018 election, totaling $74 million in all state-level races and exceeding the sums expended by candidates. The total spent in the two-year election cycle surpassed $219 million, according to a Colorado Sun analysis. The amount is a rough estimate that includes publicly disclosed candidate and […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado’s final election 2018 results are even worse for Republicans
The unofficial final election report from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office shows even worse news for Republicans than initially thought. Democrat Jared Polis defeated Republican Walker Stapleton in the governor’s race by 10.7 percentage points, well above the 7-point margin touted on election night. The late boost in Democratic votes was expected because the […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, News, Politics and Government
It’s official: 2018 is the costliest year ever in Colorado politics
There’s no question that 2018 is the costliest year ever in Colorado politics. And it isn’t just multi-millionaire Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis fueling his gubernatorial campaign to the tune of $23.3 million. Just days before Election Day, more than $200 million has poured into Colorado campaigns this year, compared with $156.6 million in 2014, […]
Posted in2018 Voter Guide, News, Politics and Government
Spending 5 times higher on state Senate races this year than in 2016
Candidates and committees still are scooping up political TV ad time with only eight days until the election comes to a close, adding nearly $2.5 million in spending last week. That brings total election-year spending to $66.9 million, $52.1 million of that on the general election alone. Many of the ads airing focus on the […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Get to know Brian Watson, the Republican candidate for Colorado treasurer
Brian Watson overcame a crowded field of Republican primary candidates to win his party’s nomination for Colorado treasurer. It’s the 46-year-old businessman’s second real foray into Colorado politics. He lost a bid to become a state lawmaker in 2012. Watson grew up on the Western Slope, in Olathe, and graduated from the University of Colorado […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Get to know Dave Young, the Democrat candidate for Colorado treasurer
State Rep. Dave Young jumped into the Colorado treasurer’s race after serving eight years in the Colorado General Assembly and being termed out of that office. He is a former junior high school math, science and technology teacher from Greeley, where he boasts of being the only elected Democrat in Weld County. Young lacks the […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Brian Watson’s financial history resurfaces as he runs for Colorado treasurer. The Republican says “I’m thankful for those lessons.”
Brian Watson, the Republican candidate for Colorado treasurer, isn’t ashamed to talk about his personal financial history, including tax liens and other troubles during the Great Recession. In fact, he’s written a book about it and even says it gives him a unique experience that makes him better suited to handle the state’s assets. “We […]
Posted in2018 Voter Guide, News, Politics and Government
A quick rundown of the top five election 2018 races in Colorado
Here’s a quick rundown of the top five races in Colorado (excluding ballot questions; we’ll cover those later) in less than 200 words: Governor’s race: Democrat Jared Polis v. Republican Walker Stapleton THE NARRATIVE: The two major candidates easily won their primaries, picked little-known lawmakers as their running mates and then spent the summer shifting their messages […]