Jesse Paul

The state budget hole will be more like $750 million, according to nonpartisan Legislative Council Staff and the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting, which presented their quarterly budget and economic forecasts Thursday to the Joint Budget Committee

Republican Rebecca Keltie beat Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Vigil by three votes, while former state Rep. Dan Woog, a Republican, beat Democrat Jillaire McMillan by 110 votes.

Plus: Who is running to replace Kevin Van Winkle. Nonprofit tax fillings. Sonya Jaquez Lewis amends her campaign finance filings.

Most of the money — or about $24 million — was spent to benefit Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo. But it wasn’t enough, as she lost to Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans by about 2,500 votes, or about 1 percentage point.

State Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, accused in the past of mistreating legislative aides, is the subject of a new workplace misconduct complaint.

Plus: “There will be blood” in state budget cuts. PERA board agrees to 20% budget increase.

Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez, a Democrat, is rumored to be interested in running to be Colorado secretary of state in 2026

State Sen. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, said she will resign Jan. 9 “to prioritize my family and health”

The next battle in Colorado’s battleground congressional district is already taking shape. Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo isn’t ruling out running again.

Yadira Caraveo underperformed in Adams County. Donald Trump won Pueblo County. Proposition 131 received the third fewest “yes” votes of the 14 measures on the statewide ballot.

The Denver Democrat’s resignation comes after he won reelection Nov. 5 to a second four-year term as a state senator. A vacancy committee will select his replacement.