March 31, 2016 12:30 PM UTC

Get More Smarter on Thursday (March 31)

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• by: Colorado Pols

Today is the last day of March (already) and it appears that we’re going to “Go Out Like a Lion” where the weather is concerned. It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols! If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► Is the House of Representatives really in play this year? We’re skeptical that Democrats could win the 30 seats needed in 2016 in order to retake control of the House, but if nothing else, Democrats are hopeful that they can make a serious dent in the GOP majority thanks in part to rising voter anxiety regarding Donald Trump. From The Associated Press:

Democrats are grabbing election-season television time in eight markets from New Hampshire to Nevada as part of their longshot bid to take majority control of the House.

The House Majority PAC, a political committee that helps Democratic candidates, said Wednesday it is reserving $7.5 million worth of time for ads for the last weeks of the campaign. Ad time reserved in advance is usually less expensive, sometimes dramatically so, than time purchased at the last minute…

…The markets cover around a dozen House districts that could see competitive elections in November. They include Denver, Colorado, where GOP Rep. Mike Coffman is being challenged, and West Palm Beach, Florida, where Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy is abandoning his seat to run for the Senate.

That’s right, friends: Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Aurora) is once again at the top of a short list of vulnerable Republican incumbents in 2016.

Meanwhile, members of the House Republican Freedom Caucus — which counts Greeley Congressman Ken Buck among its group — are hopeful that they can add 20-30 “new” Freedom Caucus Members through the 2016 election process. In other words, both Democrats and right-wing Republicans are trying to take control of the House chambers from the rest of the GOP.

► The first quarter fundraising period ends tonight, and it is a milestone marker for the Republican candidates running for U.S. Senate. Not only is this the first full fundraising quarter for many GOP candidates…it will be the last full quarter until after the June 28th Primary. For candidates such as former Rep. John Keyser, only the entire future of his campaign is at stake.

► Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) has been identified as one of a handful of potential “movable” Senators being targeted by the White House to help advance President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. We hate to be the wet blanket here, but the reason Gardner seems “movable” is because he goes out of his way to take every position on an issue so as to obfuscate his true intentions.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Republican Presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is still on the ropes over his comments that women who pursue “illegal” abortions should be “punished.”  Perhaps The Donald is just trying to see if it is possible to be 100% underwater with women in the next round of polling.

► Legislation intended to close the pay gap between men and women in Colorado was defeated on Wednesday in a State Senate committee. Kudos to Ed Sealover of the Denver Business Journal for this brilliant bit of wordplay:

Three men voted over the objections of two other men Wednesday to kill the two major efforts of the 2016 Colorado Legislature’s session aimed at shrinking the gap in pay between women and men.

► It’s one of the oldest political cliches, but it still holds true: The cover-up is always worse than the crime.

► Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Aurora) is probably going to see Donald Trump in his nightmares for the rest of his life.

► Senator Michael Bennet (D-Denver) met with business leaders in Northern Colorado to discuss crowdfunding techniques and practices.

► Is it Winter or Spring? It’s difficult to say, but if a Republican Primary election is on the horizon, that means it’s “gun raffle season.”

► The Colorado Springs Independent looks into which Presidential candidates are raising the most money from Colorado donors. Who is raking in the most cash? We won’t give away the answer other than to say the name rhymes with Hillary Clinton.

► Yup. We’re still dealing with Republican legislative attempts to seize federal lands and place them under local control. It’s not going to work.

► Legislation intended to legalize rain barrels in Colorado appears to be headed to the Governor’s desk for final approval.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► How do you know you are facing problems if you are a Republican candidate in 2016? When you start losing the support of white dudes, you’re in trouble.

► Ohio Governor John Kasich eats pizza with a fork. Let’s be honest — that should disqualify him from the Presidency.

ICYMI

► The Colorado Avalanche have just five regular season games remaining as they try to sneak into the playoffs. Also, the Denver Nuggets’ season is almost over.

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