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As an unapologetic Trump critic and so-called RINO (Republican in Name Only), my endorsement could cost a good Republican candidate votes, so I don’t endorse good candidates.

Thus, I will not be endorsing the intelligent, hard-working State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer for Colorado governor. Sensible, principled, and conservative but able to work across the aisle, Kirkmeyer is the best Republican candidate to run for governor in years.

Likewise, I will not be endorsing the smart, affable, and fabulously mustached former president of the State Senate and current Fremont County Commissioner Kevin Grantham for state treasurer. Both of these candidates have solid platforms and neither one raves hysterically on social media, so do not look for my name on their list of endorsements. They have a chance in 2026, albeit a slim one, so I won’t risk it. Although Colorado is solidly blue, weakened support for Democrats and a softening economy may give these two Republicans the chance they need to take a statewide office.

A recent Magellan Strategies poll finds that of those who voted for Kamala Harris last year, 47% now have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party. The same poll shows 52% have an unfavorable opinion of Gov. Jared Polis’ job as governor. Forty-four percent disapprove of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and 49% U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. As a recent Denver Post editorial noted, “After years of enjoying popularity, Colorado’s top Democrats are now showing a remarkable drop in their approval ratings among voters.” Democrats cannot coast through the next election and a strong Republican may have a chance.

Given this possibility and the risks associated with a Kafer endorsement, I will not endorse the strongest candidates but the weakest for the position they are best suited.

I endorse State Rep. Scott Bottoms, who is also running for governor, to play the next Church Lady on Saturday Night Live. Of all his colleagues, he most frequently mentions Satan on the dais. Comfortable as he is with calling everything socialist and Marxist, he could also play Sen. Joe McCarthy in a dramatization for the History Channel, if he shaved his beard that is. Bottoms is an election conspiracy theorist who plans to release former County Clerk Tina Peters from prison if elected. With the Magellan Strategies poll showing 59% disapproval of Trump, choosing a full tilt MAGA candidate is the best strategy for keeping Colorado solidly in the Democratic column.

If that’s the goal, State Sen. Mark Baisley, another gubernatorial candidate, would also fit the bill. He once blamed Antifa for the Jan. 6 insurrection and once wrote that having hit their “socialist stride” the Democratic Party’s ultimate goal was “Sharia.” Keep Colorado blue, vote Baisley!

For embodying the axiom “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” I endorse former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez who has run for governor twice and lost twice in the primary. Go for three! Tied with Lopez for the “try, try again” distinction is former State Rep. Janak Joshi who plans to run against Sen. John Hickenlooper who never loses and could probably run from the grave and win. Unfortunately, a solid non-endorsable Republican candidate has not thrown a hat into this race.

Finally, I could endorse Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell for governor, but I’ll need to Google his name and figure out where Teller County is.

All joking aside, it would be better for the party to run great candidates like Kirkmeyer and Grantham who can win not just Republican votes but bring along unaffiliated and even moderate Democrats. As elections in other blue states like Massachusetts and Maryland show, the right Republican candidate can win on occasion. To boost their chances, the candidates I have endorsed should drop out and direct their supporters and funders to a candidate who has a chance.

Krista Kafer is a Sunday Denver Post columnist.

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This week in New York City, I moderated a panel at Climate Week, a global gathering of leaders from government, business, finance, and civil society.

Entitled “When the Mississippi River Runs Low – Why Climate Connects Us All” the discussion centered on the undeniable reality that climate change is shaping our lives every day. We see it whether it’s rivers that run low, forests that burn hotter and faster, or cities where children can’t safely play outside because the playground equipment has become dangerously hot.

This same week, across town at the United Nations, the president of the United States used his address to once again declare climate change “a hoax,” and the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” He railed against reality and renewable energy, dismissed science, and painted global cooperation as a conspiracy against America.

Just because the president calls climate change a hoax, doesn’t make it so. Repeating words like “con” and “scam” does not change the facts. It doesn’t change the extreme heat gripping our cities, the catastrophic floods washing away neighborhoods, or the wildfires scarring our mountains. It doesn’t change the lives lost, the billions in damages, or the instability cascading across our economy. And it certainly doesn’t change the reality the American people are living in.

In New York, I saw and heard from leaders from around the world, taking this challenge seriously. Sitting side-by-side were U.S. Senators and governors, utility CEOs and investment bankers, community banks and farmers, mayors and environmental justice leaders, global corporations and local NGOs – all participating because they recognize two fundamental truths.

First, climate change is an undeniable reality that we can see, measure and feel. Work must be done to mitigate it.  It is not a partisan talking point. The mayor of Phoenix told us her son’s school canceled recess because the playground slide was too hot for children to play safely. That’s just one story in a sea of evidence — rising tides, stronger hurricanes, devastating floods and relentless wildfires.

Second, inside of this crisis lies an economic opportunity. The clean energy transition is not just a moral imperative, it is a business case. Economies can be built around clean energy, and communities can thrive. Renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and sustainable infrastructure are already driving job creation and investment across the globe. Countries like China and India understand this, and they are racing ahead. If America chooses denial over action, we cede those opportunities — and the jobs, industries, and influence that come with them — to others.

This is where Colorado matters.

Colorado has long been a leader in renewable energy and climate innovation. A recent analysis by a Colorado media outlet ranked our state among the top in the nation for clean energy development, thanks to policies that prioritize wind, solar, and efficiency. Our universities are pioneering research on battery storage and grid integration. Our utilities are cutting emissions while keeping rates affordable. And across our rural communities, farmers and ranchers are adopting practices that conserve water, reduce carbon, and strengthen local economies.

These successes didn’t happen because Washington handed them to us. They happened because Coloradans–like so many other Americans—saw the risks of climate change and the promise of clean energy, and we acted. Our businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and citizens led the way. We refused to wait for permission.

And that’s the lesson for today.

If the federal government won’t take climate change seriously, we must–and we will. States can continue passing bold policies. Cities can keep innovating. Businesses can invest in renewables and efficiency because it’s good for their bottom line. Individuals can support clean energy and vote for leaders who understand the stakes. Together, we can build momentum from the ground up, no matter who occupies the Oval Office.

Make no mistake: it would be best to haveCongress and the White House  invest in infrastructure, set ambitious targets, and lead in global climate negotiations. But the absence of leadership in Washington cannot become an excuse for paralysis. It must become a rallying cry for all of us to step up.

The president may be unwilling to step up, but in Colorado–and in communities across the country—we call it reality. And we call the clean energy transition what it truly is: the greatest economic and moral opportunity of our time.

They say that the Roman Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. But we will not let that happen. Americans are rolling up their sleeves! We are proving that climate action is not just possible–it’s profitable, practical, and profoundly necessary. And if Washington won’t lead, we will lead, in states, counties, cities and towns alike.

Because the stakes are too high. The evidence is too clear.

Bill Ritter is the 41st Governor of Colorado, Chairman of the Board for the Climate Group/North America and a Principal at Freestone Strategies.

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We all come from different political perspectives, but what unites us is the unwavering belief that first and foremost, we are Americans, and we live in the best country in the world.

At least that used to be the case. Recent events of political violence have challenged that belief and further eroded our philosophies of finding common ground and coming together during times of crisis. The only way to stop this erosion is to remember what unites us, while seeking common ground, without vilifying the other side.

That is exactly what we strive to do every day, even though we have incredibly diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas on how to move our country forward. One of us is a Republican and the other is a Democrat. Our differences run deeper. One served as a U.S. Air Force JAG in Iraq working in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the other has traveled the world equipping hospitals in low-income countries with medical supplies and teaching farmers modern agriculture practices.

While those experiences and associated goals seem worlds apart, they do stem from a common interest – wanting to make people’s lives better. Both of us served in the Colorado State House of Representatives. That’s where our friendship started. It’s also where we learned life-long lessons about compromise, patience, and actively listening to the concerns and ideas coming from the other side.

Ultimately, our experiences and understanding of the political environment brought us together with the shared goal of bringing bipartisan focus to the public policy making process in both Denver and Washington D.C. In our four years of working together, we have learned that finding common ground is difficult, messy, and humbling, but attainable when we check our preconceived notions at the door. We have also learned that finding common ground is something to celebrate when it happens.  Finally, we have learned it can be devastatingly harmful when we refuse to put our differences aside.

Bipartisan connection is a must, though, if we want to move our nation forward. That connection starts with denouncing all forms of political violence, regardless of the source. Robert Kennedy’s 1968 impromptu speech atop a car rooftop in Cincinnati captures the essence of what it means to acknowledge deep hurt and pain but to refrain from retaliation. Cincinnati remained calm while Detroit and DC burned portions of their cities to the ground after the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Years ago, on a trip to Rwanda there was a discussion with a bishop who had his entire family slaughtered in one of the most horrific acts of genocide in modern history. We still talk about him today. It would have been so easy to retaliate. Instead, he helped form a Truth and Reconciliation commission that focused on accountability, understanding, and forgiveness. Without it, his country would have continued spiraling into a deep pattern of revenge.

Our country is experiencing deep pain and anger from political violence that has targeted governors, speakers of the House, well-known activists, and so many others. We can learn a lot from the bishop in Rwanda by holding those accountable who use hate to perpetuate political violence. We must also be willing to forgive and strive for greater understanding of the issues that divide us. Spiraling into hate only wastes energy, furthers the divide, and produces greater suffering. It never produces a positive result.

We are all accountable to stem the tide of political violence and extremism our nation is experiencing today. It is incumbent upon each of us to individually reach out to others with different political ideas and simply listen to their point of view. Disagreement is ok, if it doesn’t lead to hate. And who knows, there might also be some common ground to discover.

We will always have political differences and that’s a healthy dynamic element necessary to move our relationships and democracy forward. Just look at the unlikely friendship involving two deceased U.S. Senators – Republican Orrin Hatch of Utah and Democratic Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Senator Hatch once remarked that he ran for the United States Senate in the 1970’s to stop Senator Kennedy’s liberal agenda, but during the next 40 years, both Senators forged a bond of friendship and professionalism that enabled them to enact landmark legislation in childcare, nanotechnology, and multiple other achievements.

Anything is possible, but we need to have trust in those who see the world differently. Different perspectives have the power to fuel critical thinking which leads to better solutions for our nation. That’s the way the founding fathers intended it. Reach out to someone and share this perspective.

Mark Waller and Joe Miklosi both served in the Colorado State House of Representatives. They own a government relations firm that focuses on bipartisan solutions. 

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Since 1999, hundreds of school shootings have scarred American communities, yet schools with armed staff have a perfect record: zero shootings.

In an editorial this month — Colorado learned long ago that no school is safe from gun violence, a lesson Jeffco should have heeded — The Denver Post Editorial Board argued that while placing a law enforcement officer in every school poses significant financial challenges for school districts, they see no viable alternative.

The Denver Post described several benefits of having a School Resource Officer (SRO) on duty on every school campus. Beyond offering students law enforcement role models, the presence of a uniformed, armed defender on campus serves as a powerful deterrent to violence. Even the mere sight of a marked patrol car in a school parking lot can give would-be evildoers pause.

But it’s not a cure-all.

In Colorado’s Arapahoe High School Shooting in 2013, there was an SRO on the large campus. Although the shooter didn’t begin his attack near the SRO, the officer’s approach – heard by the shooter over the radio – helped limit the scope of the attack. One student, 17-year-old Claire Davis, was shot and subsequently died from her injuries. The SRO’s presence was instrumental in ending the attack before more lives could be lost or children injured. However, SROs are not a panacea, because they are human – they step away, eat lunch, or patrol large campuses, and their conspicuous presence makes them easy to avoid. There’s a better solution: armed, qualified school staff.

The Crime Prevention Research Center reports that none of the hundreds of schools nationwide with volunteer armed staff has experienced a shooting during school hours – a 100% success rate over decades. In Colorado’s 50 districts with armed, trained volunteer staff, including rural and suburban schools alike, safety records remain unblemished.

In these 50 districts, schools with armed staff have protection on site throughout the school day, thanks to the presence of multiple armed defenders. And they conceal carry. No one, aside from the security team, knows who they are. This adds an extra layer of protection for students and faculty, creating an environment where any attacker must contend with the likelihood of a rapid confrontation.

There are nearly 500 of these heroes in Colorado schools today. These volunteers are hand-picked, thoroughly vetted, and must commit to a rigorous training schedule. Critics worry about safety, but FASTER Colorado’s arduous vetting and training ensure only the most qualified carry concealed weapons. In 20 years, no armed staff program has reported a safety incident. In most communities, awareness that schools have armed staff reinforces the deterrent effect.

Although armed staffers continue to increase in numbers, why hasn’t the idea gained broader mainstream acceptance? At FASTER Colorado, we often hear that the media largely fail to share information that could raise awareness and interest in these programs. Reporters rarely highlight armed staff programs, leaving parents unaware of a proven remedy. Instead, headlines focus on tragedies and their painful aftermaths instead of prevention.

It’s time to spotlight the heroes quietly protecting our schools. Network and cable news rarely cover how widespread armed staff policies are, how safely these programs have been implemented across the country, or how some attackers may choose targets based on perceived security weaknesses. We also seldom hear the stories of the brave men and women working in schools, who willingly run toward the sound of gunfire to save children. That needs to change.

Imagine a teacher, coach, or counselor – someone your child trusts – who’s rigorously trained to protect lives, ready to run toward danger. That could transform our culture.

In Colorado, school boards hold the authority to approve armed staff in districts. Parents and communities must demand their school boards explore all options, including armed staff, to protect children. Share FASTER Colorado’s website and take an active role in creating a safer future for our students. Every day without action risks another tragedy.

Laura Carno is the executive director of FASTERColorado.org.

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Going into my 26th Burning Man, I admit I was crestfallen at the news that “Midnight Poutine” was not returning. The Canadian dish is a funny mix of fries, gravy and cheese curds, and it was always comforting to know that this culinary option was available, starting back in 2009. No matter how peculiar, everything tastes great at midnight in the desert.

Because my mind lives in a spiral of political doom, it sped to: “Canadians hate America and they’re giving up on Burning Man.” Even worse, I thought, “The next thing you know, there won’t be a Swedish Meatball Camp.”

Still, this past August, 80,000 people converged in the Nevada desert to set up what aspires to be a peaceful global village. The hardest part of my years of being part of this temporary city is answering the question on my return: “How was it?”

All I can say is that it’s reunion for some, tribal for others. It would be a long voyage just to get intoxicated, dance and see some art. Perhaps there’s something hopeful to it that brings together thousands of people from all over the world.

In general, it is hot, dusty and increasingly rainy. The cheapest admission price is $550. Getting in and out of the instant town involves long waits and scary driving on Nevada State Route 447. Once there, you could feel right at home — or not.

Its origin story is that of founders Larry Harvey and Jerry James burning an effigy on San Francisco’s Baker Beach in 1986. That spontaneous whimsy outgrew the beach and ended up being planted in the dust of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Then, like a rhizomatous plant, its tentacles have spread, producing clones around the world. Smaller regional burns now mimic the original.

For crowd context, at least 15 college football stadiums seat more people than Burning Man’s giant campground. Of course, the football fans are only there for an afternoon while most Burning Man participants stay the seven days leading up to Labor Day. Other volunteers stay weeks after to clean it up to Bureau of Land Management permit standards, since the event takes place on public land.

There are all kinds of reasons to avoid Burning Man, and I get an earful every year.  Even though “burning” is in the name, some hate the event for burning valuable resources. To partially address this, over the years event organizers have added composting toilets and solar to the mix. Burning Man poop will help gardens grow elsewhere. Most of the art pieces, other than the centerpiece “man,” are not burned. They live second lives at parks and town squares around the world.

The other question I hear every year is: “Is there crime at Burning Man?” The answer, unfortunately, is yes — traffic accidents and every kind of bad behavior you would see anywhere else. In 2005, I was the victim of an assault by a bicyclist who never stopped to see who he’d run over. It was bad. It was solved. The perp was convicted. It has not stopped me from returning.

This year there was also a rare birth, said to be completely unexpected, and a death of unconfirmed cause occurred at the time I left.

International attendance was up overall. I worked with photographers from Iran, Ireland, France and Belgium. The largest art piece on the playa was designed and constructed–inflated actually—by Ukraine. Its “Black Cloud” artwork was magnificent while it lasted, combining music and erratic bursts of light. Sadly, it succumbed to a 50-mph blast of wind.

In the midst of war, the Ukrainian artists thought Burning Man was one of the best ways to bring attention to their gallant and determined people, who have been fighting for survival since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in 2002.

There was also a 20-foot “(Expletive) You Elon” metal sculpture that seemed like a profane waste of energy. People mostly climbed around on it to take their selfies. And about that missing Canadian delicacy — were the Canadians especially anti-America? Some swear the poutine crew had just planned to take a year off. I’m looking forward to Midnight Poutine next year.

Dennis Hinkamp is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Utah.

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