A presidential candidate, two congressional candidates and several dozen disparate-but-like-minded advocates gathered in a suburban Denver Marriott on Thursday morning to discuss a political movement that they believe is having its moment.
At least, that’s how attendees at the 2024 Independent National Convention felt. Bolstered by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s now-paused independent presidential run and convinced of high dissatisfaction with America’s political status quo, several attendees and speakers said interest in independent candidates and movements was accelerating.
Artist DPAK, right, interviews Jon Block of Abundant Tribe Leader Collective during the Independent National Convention in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
They lambasted the country’s dominant two-party political system and pointed to data about the growing number of Americans — and Coloradans — who identify as independent.
“The third-party movement is strong and it’s growing, and I think that’s because people are so disillusioned and disgusted with the two major parties and the political status quo,” Ron Tupa, a former Democratic state lawmaker, said in an interview. He’s now running a longshot bid as a Unity Party candidate against U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat.
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Speakers at the three-day event at the Denver Marriott Tech Center, which ended Thursday night, included (or were set to include) Andrew Yang, the former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and entrepreneur who went on to launch the Forward Party; former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich; several tech and wellness entrepreneurs; and a handful of alumni from the Kennedy campaign.
Kennedy himself was supposed to headline the convention, but he pulled out. Former Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson spoke in his place Wednesday night.
Some attendees and groups advocated for alternative voting methods they thought would help break up America’s two-party political stasis. Blake Huber, the Denver-based presidential candidate for the Approval Voting Party, laughed that he tells people not to vote for him (though he said his ego may require him to vote for himself).
He was running, as he had in 2020, to bolster support for “approval voting” — a system under which voters are allowed to select all the candidates they support in a given race, rather than just one.
“You want independents to get their true level of support? You want approval voting,” said Huber, who was wearing blue sandals and an impossible-to-miss orange T-shirt that showed how approval voting worked on the back.
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A variety of minor parties were present, including the Libertarian Party of Colorado and its executive director, James Wiley, who’s running for U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s current seat on the Western Slope. So were Huber’s party and the Alliance Party.
Kennedy’s campaign had a booth, too, complete with a life-sized cutout. Around the corner was a booth for a Sept. 11 conspiracy group. Outside, a Tesla Cybertruck — emblazoned with cryptocurrency logos and images of former President Donald Trump and Kennedy, who’s now backing Trump — sat parked by the curb.
“I think we’re reaching a tipping point,” Tupa said optimistically of independent candidates, groups and voters.
It’s true that more Americans view themselves as independents, and in Colorado, unaffiliated voters now greatly outnumber Democrats and Republicans. But that doesn’t equate to a unified political swell, particularly when many self-identified independents still back one of the major parties — and when the existing independent movement is “scattered,” as one activist put it.
Case in point: Tupa still describes himself as a progressive, and before he spoke to a small crowd about building independent political power, another speaker — Michael Maxsenti, who’s supported minor parties elsewhere — told the room that they should vote for Trump.
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“If you really understand Bobby (Kennedy Jr.) and what’s going on, you have to suck it up,” Maxsenti said. “Vote for Trump and hope and pray, as we do, that Trump is truly a changed individual — and, now, that he’s learned his lessons from his first opportunity.”
For his part, Yang posted on the social platform X Wednesday: “I’m an Independent Forwardist who will be voting for Kamala Harris in November.”
Several attendees credited Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist, with giving a boost to independent and minor party candidates and movements; Kennedy buttons and hats were common Thursday. But, as onetime Colorado 5th Congressional District candidate Katrina Nguyen noted, Kennedy initially sought to run as a Democrat. Then, after securing ballot access in multiple states, he (mostly) dropped out late last month and endorsed Trump — a three-time presidential candidate for one of the major parties.
“There are some people who I don’t think they necessarily care as much about growing the independent, third-party movement as they just care about having a voice within the two major party system,” she said. (It was Nguyen who described the movement as “scattered.”)
In his morning talk, Tupa had urged attendees to donate money to minor party and unaffiliated candidates. That prompted Huber, a self-described green-libertarian, to call out that he’d just donated $100 to Tupa — a progressive “of the left,” in his telling — and that he would give $5 more for every donation Tupa received at the convention Thursday.
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Nguyen echoed a similar sentiment: If independent political movements are indeed having a moment now, mutual support for those movements is required to capitalize upon it.
“Our project will help third-party candidates that I don’t even like, or third parties that I don’t even like. But that’s not the point. I want them to have a chance,” she said. “At this point, no one has a chance.”
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Dogs like Bailey — the former Dog of the Week in The Denver Post’s Adventurist newsletter — will be in good company at the first Denver Dog Fair this weekend. (Provided by Barbara Ellis)
Denver Dog Fair
Saturday-Sunday. Woof! If the last few weeks have left you panting, why not surround yourself with unconditional love? The first Denver Dog Fair takes place on Nov. 22 and 23 with the promise of unending poochie goodness. There will be dog adoption booths, “celebrity” dogs, performances and tricks, a dog-fashion show, vendors, a dozen food trucks, kids’ bounce house, crafting, and more.
It takes place indoors at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, 25690 E. Quincy Ave. in Aurora, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tickets: $20, good for both days; 5 and under free. $5 per dog. Price includes all entertainment and activities (minus adoption fees and food/drink). denverdogfair.com
Christkindlmarket and the Mile High Tree
Friday. The annual Mile High Tree at Civic Center park has quickly become a modern classic in Denver, with its 110-foot-tall display of 60,000, color-changing LED lights. Its location next to the annual Christkindlmarket and across from the brightly decorated Denver City & County Building makes it a one-stop shop for free family holiday fun.
At the 24th Christkindlmarket you’ll find local vendors plus Glühwein (mulled spiced wine), German biers and hot chocolate, Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, Knödel, goulash, Nürnberger sausages, pastries, caramels and European chocolates. The tree’s light-and-music shows run from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.
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The market and tree both open on Friday, Nov. 22, with the market running through Dec. 23. The market is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. denver.org/milehighholidays/mile-high-tree or christkindlmarketdenver.com
Charlie Fausette, 6, from Tampa, Fla., ice skates with her father Rob at Downtown Denver Rink in Denver on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Free ice skating downtown
Through Feb. 2, 2025. Whatever the weather, you can get a bit of holiday fun in by stopping by the popular Downtown Denver Rink. The rink, which basically bisects the 16th Street Mall’s Skyline Park (just outside the Daniels and Fisher Clocktower at 16th and Arapahoe streets), is a public rink where you can rent or bring your own skates.
It’s open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Entry is free; skate rentals are $12 for adults and $9 for kids 12 and under. winterindenver.com/rink
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be ready for photos at the Denver Christmas Show, this year moving to the National Western Complex. (Provided by Michelle Ellis)
A very merry Denver Christmas Show
Friday-Sunday. You don’t have to be in the market for gifts to get something out of the Denver Christmas Show at the National Western Complex. It’s a family-friendly affair, with Santa visits (and photos), daily storytime and hot cocoa with Mrs. Claus, live music, dancing, and more.
Of course, if you want to pick up some candy or chocolate, local gifts, or holiday decor, that will be right there too (with free gift wrapping), as well as plenty of other vendors. Tickets for the Friday, Nov. 22-Sunday, Nov. 24, event are $14 for 14-and-up, and free for 13-and-under. It runs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at 4655 Humboldt St. in Denver. denverchristmasshow.com
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Dallas Mavericks (8-7, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (8-5, fifth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Dallas seeks to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Mavericks take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 4-5 in Western Conference games. Denver is fifth in the league with 46.2 rebounds led by Nikola Jokic averaging 13.7.
The Mavericks have gone 6-6 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 17.2 fast break points per game led by Luka Doncic averaging 4.6.
The Nuggets make 46.8% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.1 percentage points higher than the Mavericks have allowed to their opponents (44.7%). The Mavericks average 115.6 points per game, 0.5 more than the 115.1 the Nuggets give up to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is shooting 47.9% and averaging 18.3 points for the Nuggets.
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Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.3 points and 5.2 assists for the Mavericks.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 45.4 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points per game.
Mavericks: 5-5, averaging 118.0 points, 44.3 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.2 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Nikola Jokic: day to day (personal).
Mavericks: Dante Exum: out (wrist).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Pop music icon Billie Eilish had a very important request before performing a sold-out show at Denver’s Ball Arena on Tuesday night: She wanted to snuggle with some animals.
Two Front Range shelters were more than happy to bring some furry friends for a backstage meet-and-greet with Eilish and her team, Brighter Days Dog Rescue founder and director Becca Orin said.
Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary first got the request through the venue, and the Commerce City sanctuary teamed up with Brighter Days in Boulder to bring puppies, kittens and a pony to the arena.
Billie Eilish snuggles with a puppy and pony from Brighter Days Dog Rescue and Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary before performing at Ball Arena in Denver on Nov. 19, 2024. (Courtesy of Becca Orin)
Eilish, her mom and team were “amazing,” Orin said, and showered the animals with love – particularly Samson the pony, who was overjoyed by all of the attention and cookies.
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Brighter Days shared photos of the visit in a post on Facebook, with Eilish grinning cheek-to-cheek with a puppy and getting a nuzzle from Samson.
“This is not the first time we have brought animals to Ball Arena for the artists ahead of their performance, but this was the first time the artist was kind enough and generous enough to let us take pictures and give us permission to post them on social media,” Orin said.
Eilish is set to perform a second sold-out show at Ball Arena on Wednesday night as part of her Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour.
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