How James Got Into Politics

In this episode of Left in the Attic, hosts Ana and Deep delve into the workings of local party politics, focusing on caucuses, delegates, and precinct organizers. They explain how everyday people can get involved in shaping the Denver Democratic Party. Special guest James Reyes, the current chair of the Denver Democrats and DNC Member, joins to share insights about his journey from being a young Republican to leading Colorado’s largest Democratic County Party. The episode also highlights the historic win of Bad Bunny at the Grammys and its cultural significance. Listeners learn about the upcoming caucus process, the importance of precinct organizers, and how to become a delegate for the county and state assemblies. The episode wraps up with multiple calls to action for those interested in political involvement.

Key Dates:

Monday, February 9th, deadline to register as a Democrat in order to Caucus or become a Delegate

Tuesday, March 3rd at 6:30pm: Denver Precinct Caucuses

Saturday, March 14th at 10:00am: Denver Democrats County Assembly 

Saturday, March 28th: Colorado Democratic Party State Assembly in Pueblo

Denver Democrats Caucus Info: https://www.denverdemocrats.org/caucus 

Colorado Democrats Caucus FAQ: https://www.coloradodems.org/caucus/faq

Register to Vote & Change Party Registration: https://www.sos.state.co.us/voter/pages/pub/olvr/verifyNewVoter.xhtml 

Upcoming Denver Democrat Events: https://www.denverdemocrats.org/events 

More info on Vacancy Elections: https://www.coloradodems.org/vacancyelections 

Drinking Liberally Denver https://livingliberally.org/chapter/co/denver_5747 

Denver Young Democrat Events https://denveryoungdems.org/events 

Have Questions? DM us on Instagram or email us and we’ll help! 

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:31 Bad Bunny's Historic Grammy Win

02:33 James Reyes' Background and El Paso Roots

04:34 James' Journey in Politics

09:11 Understanding the Denver Democratic Party

10:27 Getting Involved: Caucuses and Assemblies

21:15 Reflecting on Past Elections

22:13 Understanding the Democratic National Committee

23:19 Becoming a Precinct Organizer

24:51 Running for Delegate and Precinct Organizer

26:41 The Role of Passion in Political Involvement

28:21 The Importance of Young People in Politics

34:47 Getting Involved in Local Democratic Meetings

37:49 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Meet Your Hosts

Ana Mitchell, Ph.D., is a former CDC scientist who was swept up in federal cuts and is now reinventing herself as a civic coach and creator. After a decade reducing disparities in health and education, she’s building Civically Fit to make civic engagement accessible, authentic, and sustainable. A proud Latina and Colorado native, Ana is focused on helping people build community and power through everyday civic action. According to Deep, Ana has a dating life that could probably be its own podcast segment.

Deep Singh Badhesha is an attorney, political strategist, and government affairs professional with over a decade of experience shaping political campaigns and policy in Colorado. A former public school math teacher, Colorado Supreme Court clerk, and senior policy analyst, he now works across campaigns, ballot initiatives, and legislative fights. He’s South Asian, a new dad, and a longtime organizer who believes community—not saviors—will rebuild the Left. He also has way too many hot takes on everything stemming from food and sports to politics.  

Links:

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Email: LeftInTheAtticPod@gmail.com

Voicemail: (303) 416-2846