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After word of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s untimely death spread, reaction from both aisles of Congress poured in. Doug Friednash, the chief of staff to former Gov. John Hickenlooper, has been intimately familiar with Graham’s impact on foreign relations, and specifically, his longtime support for Israel.

Dr. Shimon Blau, the Denver doctor who announced July 5 that he wanted to run as an independent in Colorado’s Congressional District 1, has submitted the necessary signatures to the Colorado Secretary of State.

At 8:30 a.m. on July 5, Bruce Shaffer was the first to arrive at the Colorado Convention Center, holding a sign that said “T/Y N.E.A. For No To Anti Zionist Hate.” The message was aimed at members of the National Education Assn. “It’s really important to be out here,” Shaffer said, “and let the NEA know that we’re really in favor of solid education that presents kids with fair content and not indoctrination to anti-Zionist, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic tropes that predispose them to a type of thinking that really just leads nowhere but to hatred.

With the primary races over, attention turns to the November elections. For Jewish and pro-Israel voters in Colorado it is likely to be a mixed bag of options as progressive candidates swept two key races and younger voters came out in significant numbers for a primary. Statewide, more than 1.43 million voters, out of 4.02 million total voters, cast ballots in last week’s primary. 

Denver doctor Shimon Blau is trying to run as an independent candidate in Congressional District 1, challenging Democratic Primary winner Melat Kiros and Republican nominee Christy Peterson.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has defeated Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democratic primary for governor. A former law professor at CU Boulder, Weiser’s mother was born in Buchenwald two days after it was liberated. In a state that has only had one Republican governor in a decades-long span, the Democratic candidate is considered the presumptive winner in the November general election.

In an interview last week on 9News, Melat Kiros, who is challenging incumbent US Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CD 1), refused to call last year’s June 1, 2025 deadly terrorist attack in Boulder anti-Semitic.

In a solemn moment, US Army Commander Chris Countouriotis rose from his seat at the Boulder JCC and summed up the life of former Boulder resident Jacob Wiese. “He set an example for all of us to follow,” said Countouriotis. “Humility, passion, confidence, and an unwavering trust with adaptability and commitment.”

Ahead of Colorado’s primary elections, June 30, the IJN spoke with two Republican candidates for Attorney General: Michael Allen and David Willson. Michael Allen has been the District Attorney of Colorado’s 4th Judicial District since 2020. He is a Navy veteran.

Ahead of Colorado’s primary elections, June 30, the IJN spoke with two Republican candidates for Attorney General: Michael Allen and David Willson. David Willson is a retired Army Judge Advocate who has practiced across many areas of the law.