Valerie Richardson

John Hickenlooper wins re-election in Colorado over Bob Beauprez

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper was declared the winner early Wednesday in his bid for reelection, one of the few bright spots for Democrats in a political year marked by a powerful Republican wave. Published November 5, 2014

Mia Love makes history by winning House seat in Utah

Utah's Mia Love made history Tuesday by becoming the first black Republican woman to win a seat in Congress, eking out a close victory over Democrat Doug Owens. Published November 5, 2014

Cory Gardner defeats Mark Udall in Colorado as GOP moves closer to Senate control

Republican Rep. Cory Gardner won a decisive victory in the hard-fought Colorado Senate contest Tuesday, defeating Democratic Sen. Mark Udall in a stunning turnaround in the blue-trending state. Published November 4, 2014

Judge tosses Colorado GOP lawsuit alleging sloppy, secretive vote-counting in Boulder

A Boulder County judge dismissed a complaint late Monday over vote-counting brought by Colorado Republicans, but they're still alarmed over what they see as the clerk's efforts to undermine election integrity in the Democratic stronghold. Published November 4, 2014

Ballot initiatives run gamut from marijuana to minimum wage

This may come as a surprise if you live in a state with the minimum wage, marijuana, genetically modified food labeling or election-rules measures on the ballot, but 2014 is actually a down year for state-ballot initiatives. Published November 3, 2014

Colorado Republicans hang on to 100,000-vote lead as Democrats make final push

Republicans maintained their 100,000-vote lead in Colorado over the weekend even as Democrats mobilize their ground troops for a strong last-minute surge. Published November 3, 2014

Americans believe politicos play ‘race card’ to snag votes

Voters of all races say most politicians play the "race card" to win elections rather than address actual race-related issues, according to a poll released Monday. Published November 3, 2014

Thousands rally on behalf of Houston pastors hit with subpoenas

Thousands showed their support Sunday the five Houston pastors who drew national attention for challenging the city's now-withdrawn effort to subpoena their sermons. Published November 3, 2014

Republican Ernst jumps out to 7-point lead in critical Iowa Senate race

Republican Joni Ernst surged to a 7-point lead in the Iowa Poll released Sunday, moving her outside the margin of error in the high-stakes Senate race against Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley. Published November 2, 2014

Campaign flier tells blacks in Alabama to vote or face the honoring of ‘klansmen’

Campaign materials aimed at getting out the black vote are featuring references to lynchings, Jim Crow-era signs, racial unrest — and, as of last weekend, the Ku Klux Klan. Published November 2, 2014

Utah’s Love poised to become first Haitian-American member of Congress

Fast-rising Republican star Mia Love could make history next week in her bid for a House seat from Utah, but first she'll have to beat back a surprising late surge from Democrat Doug Owens. Published November 2, 2014

Out there: The wild, wacky and nasty from the 2014 campaign trail

Elections would be dull affairs indeed without the gaffes, glitches and outright weirdness that inevitably crop up before voters put an end to the madness on the first Tuesday in November. And the 2014 races, featuring pig testicles, personal fans and keg stands, were no exception. Published November 1, 2014

Colorado GOP winning voter turnout battle as Democrats lag behind

Those counting on the Colorado Democratic Party's vaunted ground game to push their candidates to victory may be getting a little nervous. Published October 31, 2014

English-speaking House hopefuls do first-of-kind all-Spanish debate

Two congressional candidates whose first language is English held a Spanish-language debate Thursday evening in a first for Colorado politics. Republican Rep. Mike Coffman and Democrat Andrew Romanoff squared off in a 30-minute live televised debate at Entravision studios in Denver, near the 6th Congressional District in the southern and eastern suburbs. Published October 30, 2014

Most Americans say politics behind Obamacare rollout delay: poll

Two out of three Americans agree that politics influenced the Obama administration's decision to push this year's Obamacare enrollment until after the Nov. 4 election, according to a poll released Thursday. Published October 30, 2014

Tom Steyer spends $76 million, fails to make climate change an election issue

San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer has spent a staggering $76 million to promote climate change as a political issue in this year's elections, but the subject isn't exactly firing up the electorate. Published October 29, 2014

Republicans gain ground in 4 of 5 Senate races in Rothenberg rating

The Rothenberg Political Report changed its predictions Wednesday in five Senate races, with four of the switches moving in the Republican candidates' favor. Published October 29, 2014

Houston Mayor Annise Parker withdraws pastor subpoenas after national uproar

Houston Mayor Annise Parker announced Wednesday that she will withdraw subpoenas aimed at five local pastors after a national firestorm during which she was accused of anti-religious intimidation and abuse of power. Published October 29, 2014

Republican takes lead in Colorado governor race

Republican Bob Beauprez pulled ahead of Gov. John Hickenlooper in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday in Colorado's hard-fought gubernatorial contest. Published October 29, 2014

Obamacare sends health premiums skyrocketing by as much as 78 percent

The Affordable Care Act was supposed to make health care more affordable, but a newly released study of insurance policies before and after Obamacare shows that average premiums have skyrocketed, for some groups by as much as 78 percent. Published October 28, 2014