Colorado
Nikki Haley, contrasting her 'hope' with Trump's 'chaos,' stops in Colorado – Colorado Newsline
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley told a crowd of a couple hundred Colorado supporters Tuesday that she’s still running so younger generations can have hope for the future.
“Imagine a country where we can strongly disagree, but we don’t have to hate each other,” Haley said. “Imagine a country where our kids don’t have stress and anxiety, but they have hope for the future. That’s the country I want for your kids and mine.”
The former governor of South Carolina appeared at a rally that drew a crowd of voters to Wings over the Rockies Exploration of Flight in Centennial, where she focused on changes she’d push for if elected as well as the dangers the country would face if former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner in the race, returned to the presidency.
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Haley said Trump put the U.S. into more debt in four years than any other president, adding $8 trillion to the country’s debts. She also decried Trump’s rhetoric around Russia and said the president should voice support for the nation’s allies, not those who threaten them.
“We need a president who understands the No. 1 job is to prevent war, period,” Haley said. “America needs to go back to understanding what it means to have peace through strength. We should never be so arrogant to think America doesn’t need friends.”
Haley mentioned states like Michigan and Minnesota that previously had Republican control, but have since seen Democrats take over the governorship and state legislatures after Trump came into the picture.
“Now I’m in Colorado, and I’m looking at the fact that no Republican has gotten over 45% statewide since Donald Trump was president,” Haley said.
At one point during the rally, members of the crowd started chanting “don’t quit” to show their support for Haley despite primary results so far. Haley just lost the primary in her home state, and in Nevada, she lost to the “none of these candidates” option on the ballot.
Suzanne Staiert, a former deputy secretary of state and former Republican candidate for Colorado state Senate, introduced Haley and said she couldn’t imagine “a better candidate to lead us out of this abyss” than Haley.
“I’m just so excited to have a candidate that is going to concentrate on actual issues instead of settling personal scores,” Staiert said. “A candidate who is not going to get caught up in all the drama and make this her family industry. A candidate that cares about our children and cares about our future and is running because she wants us to have a choice.”
I’d like to go back to the Republican Party someday, and if this woman is nominated by the Republicans, I’ll be first in line.
– Gary Schnell, Nikki Haley supporter
Haley said she wants to bolster the middle class to stop the rich from getting richer and the poor from getting poorer. She also said she wants to make tax cuts for small businesses permanent and hold Congress accountable to create a balanced budget on time without risk of a government shutdown. Haley, who is married to a combat veteran, also said the federal government needs to improve its support for veterans.
Haley touted a South Carolina immigration policy she signed into law as governor that faced legal challenges from the federal government. Federal judges blocked certain parts of the policy, but Haley still considers the legislation a win and said she wants to grow the concept nationally. She also said she’d want to defund sanctuary cities.
“Denver has had more illegal immigrants come here, more than any other city in America per capita,” Haley said. “We can’t wait one more day to pass a strong immigration bill. We’ve got to get it done. Congress needs to do their job, and Trump needs to stay out of it, period.”
About 40,000 migrants have arrived in Denver since the end of 2022.
Gary Schnell drove about an hour and a half from Eaton to attend the rally. He wore a Haley-branded shirt that says “barred permanently,” which is a reference to a Trump comment saying anyone who donates to Haley’s team is “permanently barred from the MAGA camp.”
“I’ve been a Republican all my life until about two years ago when I quit the party because that lying, immoral a**hole got the nomination and now controls the Republican Party,” Schnell said. “So I have to do something else. I’d like to go back to the Republican Party someday, and if this woman is nominated by the Republicans, I’ll be first in line.”
Schnell said the GOP is no longer a political party, but is rather “a cult” devoted to supporting Trump. He said the Colorado Republican Party’s move to endorse Trump in the primary is “totally out of line” and “contrary to their own, fundamental beliefs.”
The state GOP endorsed Trump in early January.
While Schnell said he supports Haley and already voted for her, he said he’s “a realist” and doesn’t see her winning next week’s Colorado presidential primary election. He said he’s not looking forward to seeing the results of the primary.
“I think it’s great that somebody with her stamina, understanding, perseverance, will stick in there and call out Donald Trump for what he really is,” Schnell said.
Gretchen Anderson came to the rally from Parker to support Haley because she focuses on what she actually wants to get done in office, “not putting down other people,” Anderson said. She said Haley is polished and intelligent, and that she’s more impressed by Haley every time she hears her speak.
Anderson said she wished the Colorado Republican Party would be more open-minded instead of backing Trump. She said she’d go home after the rally and reach out to friends to encourage their participation in the primary.
“This was nowhere near a big enough crowd,” Anderson said. “Even though Colorado is generally a Democratic state, I know that the south Denver metro for sure has a lot of Republicans, and I don’t see them.”
Haley said Republican voters can’t complain about what happens in the general election if they don’t participate in the primary. She said she doesn’t see the country surviving another four years under Trump’s leadership, noting that all he does is talk about himself.
“This is not personal for me with Donald Trump. I voted for Donald Trump twice,” Haley said. “I was proud to serve America and his administration. But the truth of the matter is chaos follows him. Everywhere he goes, chaos follows him.”
The primary election in Colorado is March 5, known as Super Tuesday, when 15 states conduct their presidential primary elections.
By almost every measure, the 2026 Rockies are better than the ’25 Rockies. And, by almost every measure, the Rockies have a long way to go to become a contending big-league baseball team.
After getting bludgeoned by Kyle Schwarber and shut down by ace lefty Cristopher Sanchez in a 6-0 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, the Rockies are 16-25 with one-quarter of the season in the books.
Schwarber hit solo home runs in the first and second innings off right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings. Sanchez dominated Colorado for seven innings, giving up six hits, striking out seven, and walking none. He reduced his ERA to 2.11.
It was a step back for Colorado, but a week ago, Paul DePodesta, president of baseball operations, said, “We’re certainly encouraged by a lot of what’s going on, but at the same time, far from satisfied.”
Here’s a look at the state of the Rockies at the quarter pole:
• On pace: The Rockies’ .390 winning percentage has them pointed toward a 63-99 record. That would be a 20-game improvement over their 119-loss season in 2025 and enable them to avoid the infamy of being the first team since the 1961-64 Washington Senators to post four consecutive 100-loss seasons.
• White Sox meter: Chicago’s Southsiders lost a major league record 121 games in 2024. At the quarter pole last year, they were a miserable 12-29, but they eventually finished with a 60-102 record. That was a 19-game improvement.
• Road conditions: Colorado was laughably bad on the road last season, going 18-63, averaging just 2.81 runs per game, and getting outscored by 213 runs. The ’26 Rockies no longer look like automatic roadkill. They are 8-14 away from Coors Field but 6-4 over their last 10 games. They are averaging 3.95 runs per game on the road.
• Rotation in motion: The ’25 Rockies finished with a starters ERA of 6.65, the worst in the majors since ERA became an official statistic in 1913. This season’s starters own a 5.27 ERA, still the worst in the majors, but an improvement. Toss out the innings thrown by “openers” and the starters’ ERA is 5.11.
• Ace in the making? Right-hander Chase Dollander, who has the pure best stuff on the staff, is exponentially better this season than last — 3.35 ERA vs. 6.98 ERA as a rookie. On Friday, he held the Phillies to two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, but walked five in the Rockies’ wild, 9-7, 11-inning victory. Dollander’s command was not sharp, but he didn’t implode as he might have last season.
“Every outing is different, for everybody,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told MLB.com. “Today, for Chase, he had to battle command issues, but his stuff is so good that he was able to stay in it. He competed, and he kept grinding without his best command.”
Trade material: Except for Dollander, Colorado’s four other starters are all veterans in the final year of their contracts. That makes them possible trade candidates at the Aug. 3 deadline, if not before.
However, after a strong start to the season, the starters are beginning to fade. Lefty Kyle Freeland (1-4, 6.00 ERA) has a vesting option worth $17 million for 2027, but he needs to pitch 170 innings to activate that option, and it’s doubtful he will. There is a $9 million team option for right-hander Michael Lorenzen, but considering that he is 2-4 with a 6.92 ERA and a 3.56 batting average against, it’s doubtful the Rockies would pick up his option. But are either Lorenzen or Freeland tradeable?
That leaves lefty Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.90 ERA) and Sugano (3-3, 4.07 ERA) as the most attractive trade pieces. And throw in reliever Antonio Senzatela (2-0, 1.11 ERA), too, because he’s also in the final year of his contract.
Somehow, someway, the Rockies are going to have to restock their pitching cupboard for next season and beyond. It’s a predicament that DePodesta and company will have to solve.
Men of mystery: The hope was that this would be corner outfielder Jordan Beck’s breakout season, and that centerfielder Brenton Doyle and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar would bounce back. It’s early, but it’s not happening.
After going 1 for 3 on Sunday, Beck is hitting .169 with a .490 OPS. Doyle (.196, .529, 33.6% strikeout rate) is showing signs of rebounding, as is Tovar (.197, .277, 28.6%), who had two singles on Sunday. Still, the trio is underperforming. Beck and Doyle are often supplanted in the lineup by Mickey Moniak and newcomers Troy Johnston and Jake McCarthy.
After a 1-for-4 performance on Sunday, Moniak is hitting .303 with a 1.004 OPS and leads the Rockies with 11 home runs. Moniak has had hot streaks before with the Angels, but then faded. However, the Rockies believe he can sustain his success.
He’s arbitration-eligible for one more season, leading to plenty of internet trade speculation. But if the Rockies don’t believe their outfield prospects are ready to carry the load, signing Moniak to a reasonable contract extension makes sense. He’s making $4 million this season.
First addition: Utility infielders Edouard Julien and Willi Castro, and outfielders Johnston and McCarthy have all contributed to Colorado’s improvement. But it’s rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield who looks like part of the Rockies’ foundation for the future.
He’s slashing .272/.337/.429 with five home runs and is tied with Moniak for the team lead with 21 RBIs. Among all qualified rookies, he is tied for first in games played (40), second in hits (40), fifth in RBIs (21), and eighth in batting average. He’s also a terrific fielder.
Rumfield is everything the Rockies hoped Michael Toglia would be.
Pitching probables
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-4, 6.92 ERA) at Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (5-2, 2.36 ERA), 4:40 p.m.
Wednesday: Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.90) at Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (4-1, 2.87 ERA), 4:40 p.m.
Thursday: RHP Chase Dollander (3-2, 3.35) at Pirates RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA), 10:35 a.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
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A Boulder County man was sentenced to 48 years in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend and dumping her body in 2024.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said Christine Barron Olivas’s body was discovered in a remote area of unincorporated Boulder County on Sept. 14, 2024. She was last seen leaving the neighborhood with her boyfriend, Carlos Dosal, the week prior.
The coroner’s office determined the cause of her death was strangulation.
In Feb. 2026, Dosal pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as a crime of domestic violence in her death. On Saturday, the judge sentenced him to 48 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is tied for fifth in the NHL in points (10), while ranking tied for seventh in goals (4) and tied for ninth in assists (6).
All Hail Cale
Cale Makar is tied for first in goals (4) among NHL defensemen,
Toewser Laser
Among NHL blueliners, Devon Toews is tied for third in points (7) while ranking tied for fifth in assists (5) and tied for sixth in goals (2).
Series History
The Avalanche and Wild have met in the playoffs on three previous occasions, all in the Round One, with Minnesota winning in 2003 and 2014 in seven games while Colorado was victorious in six contests in 2008.
Making Plays Against Minnesota
MacKinnon has posted 16 points (4g/12a) in nine playoff games against the Wild, in addition to 70 points (27g/43a) in 55 regular-season contests.
Makar has registered three points (2g/1a) in two playoff contests against Minnesota, along with 26 points (6g/20a) in 29 regular-season games.
Necas has recorded five points (1g/4a) in two playoff games against the Wild, in addition to nine points (5g/4a) in 15 regular-season games.
Scoring in the Twin Cities
Quinn Hughes is tied for the Wild lead in points (11) and assists (8) while ranking tied for second in goals (3).
Kaprizov is tied for first on the Wild in assists (8) and points (11) while ranking tied for second in goals (3).
Matt Boldy leads the Wild in goals (6) while ranking third in points (10) and tied for fourth in assists (4).
A Numbers Game
4.50
Colorado’s 4.50 goals per game on the road in the playoffs are tied for the most in the NHL.
39
MacKinnon’s 39 playoff goals since 2020-21 are the second most in the NHL.
2.17
The Avalanche’s 2.17 goals against per game in the playoffs are the second fewest in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“It should definitely get you up and excited. It’s gonna be a good test. [It’s a] great building and [it’s] against a desperate team. It’s gonna be great.”
— Gabriel Landeskog on playing in Minnesota
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