ASHE IN AMERICA
OPINION
Colorado’s 2026 legislative session kicks off this month, and that usually means brace for impact.
But the legislature is operating under markedly different conditions than those of recent years — and you can only kick the can down the road for so long.
Colorado is in a rough spot, with slowing revenue growth, tightening budget constraints, and heightened federal-state friction. That friction resulted in devastating federal spending cuts for Colorado lawmakers, and they’re figuring out, in real time, that discretionary spending is… discretionary.
Under Colorado’s constitution and statutes, the General Assembly must balance its budget annually while operating within the constraints of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Note that’s why DSA Democrats keep trying to end TABOR — they live outside their means and they don’t like that.
According to legislative previews circulated to legal practitioners and industry stakeholders, lawmakers are preparing for a session in which discretionary spending will be even more limited. That may mean that, for the first time in nearly a decade, policy ambitions will be shaped as much or more by fiscal guardrails as by political fever dreams.
The pandemic is over, and it’s time to true up the accounting.
As Democrats gear up to wield legislative power, dynamics in the state party read less like confident governors and mor5e like a mid-break up relationship status:
It’s complicated.
Ideological differences between the DSA bullies and the more traditional and pragmatic Democrats have become increasingly visible in recent months. These tensions are no longer confined to floor debates but now shape caucus strategy, party messaging, alliances, campaign strategies, and social media mudslinging. But wait, there’s more!
Piling on, legislators may face an unexpected barrier with Governor Polis. Colorado’s Chief Executive is expected to announce a Presidential run for 2028, and Polis plays libertarian when he’s running for office. With a compounding budget crisis, multiple federal investigations into weaponization, waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as close to 50 expensive lawsuits (a central feature of Phil Weiser’s gubernatorial campaign strategy), Polis may pretend to be his party’s adult in the room.
While Republicans have no real power in the legislature, they are well-positioned to be extremely antagonistic to the ruling party. That’s going to be fun to watch. Expect GOP leaders to focus on oversight, fiscal restraint, and public accountability as they seek to influence the electorate in the run up to the midterms.
So what’s on the agenda? Several issue areas are expected to dominate early committee exploration and debates.
Housing policy remains central, including affordability measures and tenant protections. Labor and employment policy, including wage standards, workplace regulations, and contractor classifications. Energy and environmental regulation is likely to command attention across stakeholder groups as the state attempts to reconcile their green new deal priorities with their unfortunate economic realities. Election administration and campaign-related legislation are also anticipated, as the DSA Democrats fight the federal government’s election integrity agenda while attempting to white knuckle their single-party electoral control.
This session is also likely to be shaped by the Colorado Democrats’ rabid Trump Derangement Syndrome, but unlike their earlier resistance politics in Trump 1.0, DSA Democrats no longer have the resources. We can expect symbolic legislation aimed at opposing federal actions, but practical change is unlikely. They have to stand on their record. And their record is incredibly unpopular.
Many of these priorities have been debated but unresolved in prior sessions, raising questions about whether the ruling party can get them done at all now that political will for Marxism is (finally) waning. While the DSA cheers for Mamdani’s NYC, moderate Democrats are bracing for public backlash and distancing themselves from the DSA.
(Note: These priorities may feel a bit Marxist, but take comfort knowing that’s only because Marxists currently run the Colorado government. Standby for Republicans to tell you that you voted for that.)
It’s all shaping up to be especially contentious in 2026. The bottom line is that the DSA Dems thrive on crisis and outrage, but when there’s already a crisis on every front, it’s hard to engage the public in new ones.
It’s much more likely the public will choose a reckoning.
Ashe in America is an independent writer, host, and activist in Colorado. Learn more at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
