The People Who Brought You Bill Clinton Want to Introduce You to the ‘Colorado Way’

In the wake of the election results in 2024 that followed disappointing 2022 mid-terms and barely winning in 2020, PPI convened nearly 100 political leaders in Denver to examine what’s working — and what’s not. Why Colorado? Because while other blue states saw sharp swings toward Trump, Colorado leaders have held the State in the blue lane.

The “Colorado Way” — a blend of pocketbook progressivism and pragmatic politics — has helped Democrats dominate the state. At the retreat, attendees dug into lessons from Governor Jared Polis, Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Representatives Lou Correa and Adam Smith, Mayors Mike Johnston and Kate Gallego, former Senator Doug Jones, and former Representatives Tim Ryan and Ed Perlmutter and others on winning over middle- and working-class voters with a message rooted in freedom, savings, and results — not purity tests.

Read the full POLITICO feature here.

This is what renewal looks like. Honest conversations, big ideas, and the courage to listen. What we heard in Denver — from mayors, Members of Congress, and longtime reformers — was clear: Our leaders must re-center on results and reclaim the working-class vote. That’s the path forward, and PPI is proud to help lead it.

As we continue these dialogues across the country, we hope you can join us in this project. 

Mr. Lindsay Mark Lewis
CEO
Progressive Policy Institute