🤑 Follow the money

It's Thursday. Grab a cup of coffee and let's do this.

• Today's weather: A bit cooler. High 75 and all sun.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Denver member Lance Henry!

Today's newsletter is 925 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Billionaires and wealthy individuals — most from outside Colorado — are donating huge sums to persuade voters to approve two 2024 ballot measures, an exclusive Axios Denver analysis finds.

Why it matters: The big-dollar influence raises questions about the outsized role of wealthy donors pushing their agendas on Colorado voters.

State of play: Of the roughly $70 million injected into state-level races this year, 10% came from 10 donors, an analysis of the latest campaign finance reports shows.

• The bulk — about $5.9 million — is aimed at overhauling Colorado's election system to ban party primaries and put in place ranked-choice voting.
• The remainder — about $1.45 million — went toward supporting a constitutional amendment to protect abortion access.

The intrigue: The No. 1 individual donor is former DaVita CEO Kent Thiry, who spent $2.8 million through Sept. 25 supporting Colorado candidates and ballot measures. Almost all of it went toward Proposition 131, the election overhaul measure.

• Yes, but: His influence is actually much larger. The overall top donor this election, at $4.4 million, is Unite America, an election reform advocacy organization where Thiry is co-chair.

Zoom in: The next-largest donors are Ben Walton, grandson of the Walmart founder, and Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix. Each gave $1 million to Prop. 131.

See the rest of the top 10

Democrat Trisha Calvarese is launching a TV ad against U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, attacking her vote against a bill expanding health benefits for veterans, Axios Denver has learned.

Why it matters: The Democratic candidate is the first to hit the airwaves in the contest for the open seat in the 4th Congressional District.

State of play: Calvarese, a former union organizer, is spending at least $100,000 on broadcast and cable to reach mainstream voters in a district that leans overwhelmingly Republican, the campaign says.

• Her strong fundraising is defying the odds and allowing her to mount a substantial challenge to Boebert, who moved into the district earlier this year to avoid a tougher fight in the 3rd District, which she currently represents.

Zoom in: The 30-second spot features Danielle Robinson, the widow of U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson, who was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer after being exposed to burn pits while deployed to Iraq.

• Robinson criticizes Boebert for voting against the PACT Act, which is named in honor of her late husband and won bipartisan approval in Congress.

Get the other side

A ballot measure to ban hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx in Colorado is pitting scientists against each other.

Why it matters: Voters this November will once again be asked to decide on wildlife management in the state, just as in 2020, when they approved the controversial reintroduction of wolves.

The big picture: Proposition 127 asks voters to prohibit shooting or trapping wildcats with a few exceptions, including if they threaten livestock or people.

Context: Colorado Parks and Wildlife has managed mountain lion hunting for decades with annual hunting limits and requires hunters to take an online class and exam before securing a license.

• CPW hasn't weighed in on Prop. 127, but its website states: "Managing lions and bobcats with harvest is one … tool to maintain more stable populations."

State of play: Proponents argue trophy hunting is "inhumane" and "unnecessary," citing research from California — the only U.S. state where mountain lion hunting is banned — as evidence that wildcat populations regulate themselves.

• Prop. 127 has drawn support from some notable names, like iconic conservationist Jane Goodall, who was one of 20 wildlife scientists to recently pen a letter in favor.

The other side: Opponents warn the ban would lead to a rise in big cat numbers, threatening deer and elk herds.

• It will "irreparably harm wild [cat] management by banning hunting, the best tool to manage these populations," Jerry Apker, who worked as CPW's carnivore biologist for nearly two decades, wrote in an op-ed this month.

Full story

At Chevron, we've been working alongside you in Colorado for nearly a century. As the state's largest oil and natural gas producer, we're employing our neighbors and teaming up with organizations to focus on protecting the environment, enhancing education and more.

That's energy in progress.

🥊 A new poll shows the 8th Congressional District race is tied, with 44% of likely voters supporting incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo and 44% backing Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans.

• The polls have a credibility interval, like a margin of error, of +/- 4.2 percentage points. (Fox31)

✈️ Frontier Airlines will offer nonstop routes from Denver, Dallas and San Francisco to Eagle County Regional Airport starting in mid-December. (DBJ 🔑)

🌈 Denver's Blush & Blu — one of the last lesbian bars left in the country — is closing on East Colfax and hosting a farewell party Saturday. (Westword)

🍃 Colorado's cannabis prices are nearing a record low amid a significant sales slump. (Westword)

Wave goodbye to "brat summer" — Fat Bear Fall is officially upon us.

The (really) big picture: Black bears in Colorado are gearing up for the ultimate fall feast, spending this month gorging as much food as possible to pack on the pounds.

• To get chunky for the chilly months, these bears spend up to 20 hours a day stuffing their snouts with a whopping 20,000 calories, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

What they're saying: Wildlife officials expect to see more bear activity in urban areas through the end of October. Coloradans are advised to bear-proof their homes and campsites by keeping trash, bird seed, pet food and barbecue grills out of paws' reach.

Zoom out: Fat Bear Week kicked off this week! The beloved contest lets people pick their favorite fattened-up bear at Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve.

Go deeper: Fat Bear Week 2024 roars ahead after delay

At Chevron, we've been working alongside you in Colorado for nearly a century. As the state's largest oil and natural gas producer, we're employing our neighbors and teaming up with organizations to focus on protecting the environment, enhancing education and more.

That's energy in progress.

Our picks:

🎵 John is headed to Austin, Texas, later this week for the ACL music festival.

🍴 Alayna is reading 5280's roundup of Denver's top restaurants and adding Baekga, Major Tom and Dân Dã to her list of places to try.

🌴 Esteban is enjoying his last few days of vacay.

Thanks to our editor Gigi Sukin.