The 2026 midterms are still months away, but the fight has already begun. Election officials are preparing for legal battles, security threats, federal interference, and political pressure that would have been unthinkable just years ago.
For years, Colorado Secretary of State Jenna Griswold has been on the front lines fighting for our democracy. In 2023, Griswold was named the Respondent in a suit with the goal of taking Donald Trump off of the Colorado ballot. She succeeded at the state level, as the Colorado Supreme Court deemed Trump ineligible for the election due to the role he played in inciting the January 6th insurrection. Despite this victory at the state level, the United States Supreme Court overturned the decision, putting Trump back on the ballot.
Griswold has also been a vocal critic of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis commuting the sentence of election denier Tina Peters, calling it "an affront to our democracy, the people of Colorado, and election officials across the country."
Capitulation in Colorado: Jared Polis, Donald Trump, and the Betrayal of Justice
Kristoffer Ealy is a political scientist, political analyst, and professor in Southern California. He teaches American Government and political behavior, with a focus on political psychology, voting behavior, and political socialization. Subscribe to his Substack,
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