Progress Under Siege: Colorado Progressives Kick Off 2026 Legislative Session With Hope, Trepidation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
CONTACT: Sara Loflin, Executive Director at 303-349-1617

DENVER: As the Seventy-fifth Colorado General Assembly kicked off its second regular session today, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest multi-issue progressive advocacy organization, welcomed lawmakers back to the People's House to hammer out another ambitious legislative agenda promoting affordability, fairness, and equal opportunity, while making the hard choices imposed on our state by the Trump administration and far-right Republicans in Washington, D.C.

"Every year in Colorado begins with the hope that our progressive majority will continue to deliver improvements that Colorado families feel in their daily lives," said ProgressNow Colorado executive director Sara Loflin. "From affordable housing and transportation to making renewable energy more accessible and affordable than ever before, there are some incredible opportunities this year to help Coloradans live happier, safer, and more productive lives. We can make our communities safer with a stronger 'red flag' law, and keep promises to our kids by once again fully funding public education without the so-called 'BS Factor.'"

“President Trump’s radical right agenda in Washington has forced painful cuts to vital services that Coloradans don't support and never voted for," said Loflin. "Congressman Gabe Evans' vote to pass the 'Big Horrible Bill' blew a billion-dollar hole in Colorado's budget for his former colleagues to deal with. Trump's illegal retaliation campaign against our state for challenging his eligibility to run as an insurrectionist and delivering justice to convicted felon Tina Peters has had Colorado lawmakers' job of balancing the state budget even harder. Thanks to Trump, Gabe Evans, and gutless local politicians like 'Both Ways Barb' Kirkmeyer who make continuous excuses for Trump, progressive lawmakers are focused on helping Colorado working families–while trying to reduce the damage coming from Washington."

"Hard choices await our lawmakers this year in Colorado, and this is exactly why elections matter," said Loflin. "In 2026, hope lies in accountability at the ballot box, including a graduated income tax measure that could finally break the fiscal chokehold imposed on our state decades ago. Until then, the task is to protect Colorado from Trump and his minions while moving the progressive agenda forward everywhere we can afford to."

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