As Election Day approaches, what do voters really want—and what is shaping their choices? Join MTOC for a timely conversation that cuts through the noise around Colorado’s ballot measures and key races, the growing influence of unaffiliated voters, and the role of polls, media, influencers, and campaign spending. Political commentator Eric Sondermann, veteran campaign strategist Rick Ridder, and pollster Lori Weigel will bring their distinct expertise to the conversation, moderated by 9NEWS political and investigative reporter Marshall Zelinger.
Eric Sondermann is a political commentator, analyst, and writer known for bringing a centrist perspective to public affairs and encouraging civility and dialogue across political divides. He writes the weekly “Down the Middle” column for the Denver Gazette, Colorado Springs Gazette, and Colorado Politics, publishes on Substack, and has been a regular panelist on Colorado Inside Out for more than 20 years. Sondermann previously founded SE2, a mass communications and public policy consulting firm, and has a longstanding record of civic and nonprofit leadership.
Lori Weigel is Principal of New Bridge Strategy, a Colorado-based, woman-owned public policy polling firm. She has directed research for hundreds of political and public affairs campaigns across the country, including presidential-level efforts, and today focuses much of her political work on ballot measures. A longtime pollster with deep experience studying voter attitudes, she co-conducts surveys for the Colorado Polling Institute, The Colorado Health Foundation’s Pulse poll, and the annual State of the Rockies poll at Colorado College. Weigel is frequently quoted on politics and has provided election-night commentary for Denver-area news outlets.
Rick Ridder is President and Co-Founder of RBI Strategies and Research. A former presidential campaign manager and senior consultant to six other presidential campaigns, he has advised hundreds of U.S. campaigns at every level, from local races and ballot initiatives to the presidency. Internationally, he has worked in more than 20 countries, including on successful campaigns for heads of state. His firm has also conducted more than 500 polling and research projects. Ridder has received national and international recognition for his work in political consulting and for his commitment to fostering democracy.
Marshall Zelinger (Moderator) is the political and investigative reporter for 9NEWS, where he is known for making complicated issues – including ballot measures and public policy questions – easier to understand. A journalist for nearly 25 years, he has received a national Peabody Award and nearly two dozen Emmy Awards for his reporting. Zelinger also brings his explanatory approach to social media, helping Colorado audiences make sense of complex political and civic issues.
