October 26, 2016 11:08 AM UTC

Get More Smarter on Wednesday (October 26)

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• by: Colorado Pols

Google is using search engine data to track the most popular Halloween costumes in 2016; there are no politically-themed costumes at the top of the list, unless you count “Clown” at number 9. 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). If you are more of a visual learner, check out The Get More Smarter Show.

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► If you haven’t received a mail ballot yet, then something is probably wrong; go to JustVoteColorado.org to start investigating the problem. If you would prefer to vote at a polling place rather than via mail balloting, check here for your nearest polling location. Denver7 also includes a good list of election-related information.

► Democrats continue their unprecedented run in early voting in Colorado. As longtime Colorado political reporter Ernest Luning explains:

Dems keep lead in CO statewide ballot returns thru 10/25: D-168,175; R-142,185; U-104,308 #copolitics 1/5 https://t.co/xqnP9dSwg7

— Ernest Lee Luning (@eluning) October 26, 2016

► Election Day is just 13 days away, and Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to be shifting gears already. From Eli Stokols at Politico:

Donald Trump has less than two weeks left in his presidential campaign, but his closing argument sounds as much about his business interests as his electoral ones.

As Hillary Clinton and her surrogates fan out across the battleground states, Trump’s schedule has found plenty of room for self-promotion that seems aimed well past Nov. 8, including two stops in two days promoting his hotels and the soft launch of what many see as the prototype for a post-campaign Trump TV.

On Monday, Trump’s campaign launched a nightly Facebook live news program — on the heels of a report that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had spoken with a top industry dealmaker about setting up a Trump network.

On Tuesday, Trump summoned the press corps to one of his Florida properties and lavished praise on it. “One of the great places on earth,” he crowed.

On Wednesday, he returns — for the fourth time this presidential cycle — to his new Washington, D.C., hotel for what his campaign has billed as a “ribbon-cutting” to celebrate its grand opening.

It would seem that Trump himself is losing interest in the idea that the election is “rigged” against him; he’s just ready for it to be over now.

Trump’s Vice Presidential choice, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, must not have gotten the memo quite yet. Pence is in Colorado Springs (again) today to pretend to be excited about a foregone conclusion.

► Democrats continue to pick up momentum in Colorado’s most-watched Congressional races. In CD-6, Morgan Carroll announced some impressive fundraising numbers for the first two weeks of October as she seeks to unseat Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Aurora). Meanwhile in CD-3, Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Cortez) may not be able to hold off the rising campaign of Democrat Gail Schwartz, who picked up another big endorsement today.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton celebrates her 69th birthday today.

► Colorado students have picked Hillary Clinton to win the race for President in an annual survey that has traditionally been a good barometer for the real thing.

► Independent Presidential candidate Evan McMullin stumps for himself in Colorado.

► Senate Republicans are throwing everything they have at the wall in an attempt to stave off defeat. From Politico:

Republicans, on the verge of losing the Senate, are plowing a mammoth $25 million into six races in a last-ditch attempt to stop Donald Trump from dragging the entire GOP down with him.

The investment from Senate Leadership Fund, a powerful super PAC with ties to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, comes as Democrats shift resources from Hillary Clinton’s now almost certain victory to down-ballot contests in hopes of delivering her a congressional majority.

In an interview on Tuesday afternoon, Steven Law, Senate Leadership Fund’s president and a close McConnell ally, acknowledged Republicans have a tough road to keep their majority — and said the spending push was designed to close a growing funding deficit. In numerous Senate battles, Democrats are outspending Republicans by millions of dollars.

► If you’re trying to find Senator Cory Gardner (R-Yuma), don’t start looking in Colorado.

► The editorial board at the Denver Post is just silly.

► Hold on a second there — you’re saying a Democratic Governor is campaigning on behalf of Democratic candidates in Colorado!?! That’s (not) crazy!

► According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado Springs voters are completely detached from the rest of the state (and country). Not that this is news, really.

► House Republicans are busy planning their next stage of ineffective governance as they lay out plans to relentlessly investigate soon-to-be-President Hillary Clinton. Hey, it’s either this or hold two dozen more votes against Obamacare.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Republican Senate candidate Darryl Glenn is not good at spending campaign contributions, either.

► Denver7 looks at Amendments 107 and 108, outlining 6 more things than you probably need to know before you cast your vote.

ICYMI

► Your Denver Nuggets kick off their 2016-17 season tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. No, really — the Pelicans play in an arena called “Smoothie King Center.”

Don’t forget to check out The Get More Smarter Show. You can also Get More Smarter by liking Colorado Pols on Facebook!