Both Denver District Attorney candidates complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

By

Briana Ryan

Welcome to the Monday, June 24, Brew. 

By: Briana Ryan

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. Both candidates for the June 25 Democratic primary for Denver, Colorado District Attorney complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
  2. As spring turns into summer, Ballotpedia’s battleground primary coverage is heating up
  3. One congressional district is open in Utah this year—tying with 2020 and 2014 for the most in the last 10 years

All candidates for the June 25 Democratic primary for Denver, Colorado District Attorney complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey

Both candidates running in the June 25 Democratic primary for Denver, Colorado District Attorney—Leora Joseph (D) and John Walsh (D)—completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.

For the first time since 2016, the race for Denver District Attorney is open after incumbent Beth McCann (D) decided not to run for re-election. No Republicans qualified for the ballot, so the Democratic primary winner would also win the general election. The Denver District Attorney is responsible for “prosecuting all of the felonies, misdemeanors and serious traffic offenses committed in the city.”

According to Axios Denver, this primary is “splitting the [Democratic] party’s top leaders.” State House Speaker Julie McCluskie (D) and State Senate President Pro Tempore James Coleman (D) endorsed Joseph. Meanwhile, former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter (D) and McCann endorsed Walsh.

Joseph’s experience and platform

Joseph is the Director of Colorado’s Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health. Before serving in her current position, Joseph was the Chief of Staff to the Colorado Attorney General. The following are excerpts from Joseph’s survey where she wrote the three key messages of her campaign:

  • “She has spent a career protecting victims from horrific crimes and will continue to protect victims rights, making sure the justice system works for them.”
  • “Leora is the only candidate in the race with professional behavioral health experience and understands how to use the court system to get people out of jail, off the streets, and into treatment, ending the cycle of recidivism, ending the use of jail as a place for people experiencing a mental health crisis.”
  • “She plans to align prosecutors with neighborhoods and other city services and institutions, including non-profits, schools, and police districts, to improve responsiveness.”

Walsh’s experience and platform

Walsh currently works as a lawyer at the law firm WilmerHale. He previously served six years as the U.S. Attorney for Colorado. Walsh also ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020 but suspended his campaign before the Democratic primary. The following are excerpts from Walsh’s survey where he wrote the three key messages of his campaign:

  • “Community safety depends on earning the trust of the community: I will combine firm, energetic enforcement of the law with aggressive efforts working with the community to prevent crime and improve our criminal justice system.”
  • “I will advocate for strengthening our gun laws. I will create a violent crime task force to enforce existing gun laws, and team with federal authorities. And I will work to foster and find funding for youth development programs to keep kids away from guns and violence.”
  • “I will expand restorative justice and diversion programs, work to ensure data transparency and the equal application of the law, and work on sentencing reform measures.”

Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to our survey questions.

In 2022, 6,087 candidates responded to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.

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As spring turns into summer, Ballotpedia’s battleground primary coverage is heating up

While Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer for our readers in the United States, it is also about the halfway point for Ballotpedia’s coverage of battleground primaries. We’ve already covered 65 primary elections as battlegrounds this year, and we’ve identified another 50 from now until September (and the list is always changing).

The states with the most upcoming battleground primaries is Florida (five), followed by Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, and Missouri with four each.

Some of our spotlighted races include:

As of June 21, one Congressional incumbent has lost a re-election campaign. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Ala.) lost in the primary to fellow Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.). Both incumbents were running in the same primary as a result of redistricting.

In the 18 states that have held state legislative elections so far, 77 incumbents—13 Democrats and 64 Republicans—lost to primary challengers. That accounts for 4.0% of all the 1,948 incumbents who filed for re-election. Of those 1,948, 470 incumbents (24.1%) faced primary challengers.

At least three states had more than 10% of incumbent Republican legislators lose their re-election campaigns: Idaho (18.1%), Texas (18.1%), and South Dakota (14.8%). No states had more than 10% of incumbent Democratic legislators lose their re-election campaigns. We covered the Texas state legislative elections as battleground primaries due to a split in the state’s caucus over a proposed school voucher program and the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Each year, Ballotpedia identifies the primaries we expect to be the most competitive so we can dive in and give our readers more information about why they are interesting. We consider several factors, including:

  • Whether or not the seat is open (retiring or resigning incumbent)
  • Notable endorsements of multiple candidates
  • Significant fundraising from multiple candidates
  • Number of candidates
  • Incumbent’s years in office (if seeking re-election)
  • Whether or not the district’s general election is expected to be a battleground

To learn more about the battleground elections we’ve already covered and the ones we’re covering the rest of this cycle, click the link below:

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One congressional district is open in Utah this year—tying with 2020 and 2014 for the most in the last 10 years

Continuing our coverage of June 25 primaries, let’s dive into elections in Utah. The state is holding primaries for congressional, state executive, and state legislative offices. 

Why it matters at the national level

In the U.S. Senate, Democrats currently have a majority. There are 47 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and four independents, though two independents caucus with the Democratic Party. Two other independents, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.), count towards the Democratic majority for committee purposes. Thirty-four of 100 seats are up for election, including one special election. Of the seats up for election in 2024, Democrats hold 19, Republicans hold 11, and independents hold four.

In the U.S. House, Republicans currently have a 217-213 majority with four vacancies. Utah’s House delegation includes four Republicans.

Primary Elections

U.S. Senate

Four candidates—John Curtis (R), Trent Staggs (R), Jason Walton (R), and Brad Wilson (R)—are running in the Republican primary. Incumbent Mitt Romney (R) is not running for re-election. The Democratic primary is uncontested, and the nominee, Caroline Gleich (D), will face the Republican primary winner in November.

U.S. House

Thirteen candidates, including three Democrats and 10 Republicans, are running for Utah’s four U.S. House districts. That’s an average of 3.25 candidates per district. There were 3.25 candidates per district in 2022, 3.75 candidates per district in 2020, and 2.5 in 2018.

  • The 3rd Congressional District is the only open district in Utah this year, tying with 2020 and 2014 for the most in the last 10 years.
  • Incumbent John Curtis (R-03) is not running for re-election to run for the U.S. Senate.
  • Six candidates—one Democrat and five Republicans—are running for the open 3rd Congressional District, the most candidates running for a seat in Utah this year.
  • Three primaries—all Republican—are contested this year.
  • Two incumbents—Blake Moore (R-01) and Celeste Maloy (R-02)—are in contested primaries this year.
  • The 2nd Congressional District is guaranteed to Republicans because no Democrats will appear on the ballot. Republicans filed to run in every congressional district, meaning none are guaranteed to Democrats.

Governor

Two candidates are running in the Republican gubernatorial primary: incumbent Spencer Cox (R) and Phil Lyman (R). The Democratic primary is uncontested, and the nominee, Brian King (D), will face the Republican primary winner in November.

Other State Executive Offices

Utah Legislature

All 75 seats in the state House and 14 of the 29 seats in the state Senate are up for election this year. Utah is one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta. Utah is the longest-running Republican trifecta. Utah is also the only state to remain a trifecta from 1985 to 2024, with Republicans holding one each year. Republicans currently have a 61-14 majority in the House and a 23-6 majority in the Senate.

  • Sixteen legislative seats—14 in the House and two in the Senate—are open this year. That’s the most since 2018 when 24 seats were open.
  • Twenty-two primaries—17 for House seats and five for Senate seats—are contested this year. Between 2014 and 2022, an average of 15 legislative primaries were contested per year.
  • Eleven incumbents—seven representatives and four senators—are in contested primaries this year. Between 2014 and 2022, an average of eight incumbents were in contested primaries per election year.

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