Midterm Election Results

Attorney General Phil Weiser became Colorado’s next governor Tuesday night, extending a blue streak in the office dating to 2007. He held a commanding early lead over Republican Victor Marx.

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper won a second term over Republican state Sen. Mark Baisley and Forward Party candidate Bob Chew. He has said this six-year term will be his last.

Amendment 87, which would replace the 4.4% flat income tax with graduated rates, led in early returns. Proposition 136, a rival 4.4% cap, trailed. If both pass, the one with more votes controls.

Voters also weighed a dozen other statewide questions, including fentanyl penalties, mail ballot ID, and redistricting rules. See live updates here.

Polis Unveils Budget

Gov. Jared Polis unveiled his eighth and final state budget proposal Monday. The plan totals just over $51 billion and would slow Medicaid’s growth by about $665 million.

The state faces a projected $1.6 billion shortfall next fiscal year. Polis wants Medicaid to grow 4.3%, in line with the TABOR cap, instead of the 15% growth now projected.

The plan also asks voters to raise taxes on casinos, tobacco, and nicotine by about $129 million a year for childcare and preschool programs.

Health advocates warned the cuts would put vulnerable Coloradans at risk. Polis plans an updated request in January reflecting Tuesday’s ballot measures, and lawmakers get the final say.

Colorado Family Among Jet Crash Victims

An Aspen tech entrepreneur, his wife, and their two young children were among nine people killed Sunday when a small jet crashed and exploded near West Palm Beach, Florida.

Adam Robinson, 45, founded e-commerce firm Retention.com after co-founding Robly. His wife, Helen Sharp, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, also died.

The copilot, 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, earned her pilot’s license as a high school senior. Her license let her fly the jet but not command the flight.

The jet’s crew reported ice building on the jet and turbulence jolting it by as much as 700 feet before declaring an emergency, according to air traffic control recordings.

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➤ House District 1: Melat Kiros, a democratic socialist who ousted Rep. Diana DeGette in June, won the Denver seat and will be the city’s first new congressperson in 30 years. (More)

➤ House District 8: Democrat Manny Rutinel was projected to oust Republican Rep. Gabe Evans in the battleground 8th Congressional District, where outside spending neared $40 million. (See Results)

➤ Statewide: Secretary of State Jena Griswold led the attorney general race to succeed Phil Weiser in early returns, with Republican Michael Allen trailing by 19% as of deadline. (See Results)

➤ Statewide: Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez, a Democrat, led Republican James Wiley in early returns to succeed Griswold as secretary of state. (More)

➤ Aurora: Aurora Public Schools Superintendent Michael Giles Jr. was arrested on suspicion of DUI early Saturday near E-470. His attorney said Giles is treating the matter seriously. (More)

➤ Statewide: Project Sanctuary, which offers therapy to military families, has expanded to first responders after strong giving last year. Early giving for Colorado Gives Day is underway. (More)

➤ Eagle County: A hunter found human remains near Bocco Mountain, north of Wolcott, and the sheriff’s office and Avon police are probing. Officials say there’s no known threat to the public. (More)

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➤ Jamal Murray scored 35 points and Nikola Jokić added 26, but the Nuggets fell 118-110 to Portland on Monday. Denver has now lost two of its first three home games. (More)

➤ Nazem Kadri and Jaden Schwartz each scored twice as the Avalanche rallied from a 2-0 hole to beat the Blackhawks 5-2 Monday for their third straight win. (More)

➤ Miles the Mascot surprised a football-loving third-grade class at Aurora’s Buffalo Trail Elementary. Broncos players also wrote back to the students’ letters. (More)

➤ Legacy beat Riverdale Ridge 42-21 as coaches Kyle Rider and Wayne Voorhees, who survived a deadly 2016 team bus crash together, met as rivals for the first time. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NHL | NCAAF | NCAAM | NCAAW | Tennis | Soccer

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➤ Las Vegas-based Ventura Enterprises plans a 63-unit, 100,000-square-foot commercial condo project near Centennial Airport, its first Colorado development. (More)

➤ Colorado’s largest bike sale, VeloSwap, returns Saturday to Denver’s National Western Complex with more than 250 sellers. Tickets are $15, and kids 12 and under get in free. (More)

➤ Chicago investment manager Draper and Kramer paid $62 million, or about $516,667 per unit, for the 120-unit Epoque apartment complex in Golden. (More)                

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The Missing Nutrient Behind Thin Hair

After 50, many women run low on one mineral that helps keep DHT, a hair-thinning hormone, in check.

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A menopause specialist and an Austin hairstylist found that pairing this mineral with one B vitamin, plus three other targeted nutrients, may help support fuller, stronger-looking hair from the inside out. No serums, no foams. Just two capsules with your morning coffee.

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➤ The Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan will stop at Gaylord Rockies in Aurora from Dec. 28 to 31 with free activities, product samples, and photos with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. (More)

➤ Sublime returns to Red Rocks April 17 and 18, playing 40 Oz. to Freedom in full the first night for its 35th anniversary and its self-titled album the second. (More)

➤ Colorado State University researchers plan to deploy AI-assisted forecasts in 2027 that could give hail warnings hours or even days ahead of current models. (More)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ The warnings about drinking coffee on an empty stomach just ran into some inconvenient science. (Hear Story)

➤ Bomb threats forced diversions and searches on at least four European flights, part of an escalating wave of aviation scares. (Listen Now)

➤ The White House plans to end nearly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel, upending decades of U.S. policy. (Hear Details)

Coke or Pepsi?

1. Coke
2. Pepsi
3. Neither
4. Either

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you voted in this year’s midterm elections?

1. Yes, I’ve already voted: 92%
2. I’m voting today: 5%
3. I’m not voting this year: 2%
4. I can’t vote/not eligible: 1%

In what year did Colorado experience its most expensive hailstorm?

Show me the answer