Who is in the Colorado Governor race for 2026?
The 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. Voters will choose a new governor as current Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, is term-limited and cannot seek another term. This open-seat race features a diverse field of Democratic, Republican, and independent candidates. This article provides a factual overview of the candidates and explains how the 2026 Colorado governor election process works.
2026 Colorado Governor Election: Who Is Running?
The Colorado Governor will be elected in November 2026. Incumbent Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, is term-limited and cannot run for re-election, leaving the seat open. The race is currently rated as ‘Solid Democratic’ by major race-rating outlets. Colorado has not elected a Republican governor since 2002. Candidates from multiple parties have declared, and the eventual winning ticket will also include a chosen lieutenant governor. The election will be held on November 3, 2026.
Candidates in the 2026 Colorado Governor Election
Democratic Candidates: – Michael Bennet: U.S. Senator (2009–present). Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.michaelbennet.com/. Notable endorsements according to the provided summary include John Hickenlooper, Brittany Pettersen, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, James Coleman, Julie McCluskie, Michael Hancock, Mike Johnston, and Wellington Webb. – Phil Weiser: Colorado Attorney General (2019–present). Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://philforcolorado.com/. Endorsements include Roy Romer, Tim Wirth, Ed Perlmutter, David Skaggs, Federico Peña, Morgan Carroll, Brandon Shaffer, Terrance Carroll, and Dottie Lamm as listed in the provided summary. – Carmen Broesder, David Hughes, Anthony Martinez, and William Moses are also officially declared Democratic candidates.
Republican Candidates: – Mark Baisley: State senator from the 4th district (2023–present). Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://markbaisley.com/. – Scott Bottoms: State representative from the 15th district (2023–present). Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.scottbottoms.com/. – Jason Clark: Money manager, previous gubernatorial candidate. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. – Joshua Griffin: Research and development firm founder; candidate for U.S. Congress in 2024. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. – Barbara Kirkmeyer: State senator from the 23rd district (2021–present), past congressional candidate. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.kirkmeyerforcolorado.com/. Endorsements, as provided, include Gabe Evans and Bill Owens. – Greg Lopez: Former U.S. Representative (2024–2025), past gubernatorial candidate. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.greglopez.co/. – Victor Marx: Ministry leader. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.victor2026.com/. Endorsements include Lauren Boebert. – Will McBride: Attorney. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://mcbrideforgovernor.com/. – Jason Mikesell: Teller County Sheriff. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://www.mikesell4gov.com/. Independent and Other Candidates: – Jon Collamer: Independent. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. – William “Will” McBride: Independent. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://mcbrideforgovernor.com/. – Bradley Allen Wall: Independent. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. – Shawn Bennett: Independent. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Website: https://bennettfoco.com/. – Stephen Hamilton: American Constitution Party. Officially declared, filing status: Filed. Key issues, as provided, relate to taxes, local control of schools, working class representation, and infrastructure.
The 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election details
The 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election is an open-seat contest, with the primary election scheduled for June 30, 2026, and the general election set for November 3, 2026. The filing deadline for candidates is March 18, 2026. In Colorado, candidates for governor are selected by party primaries, and the winning nominees for governor select their lieutenant gubernatorial running mates to form a joint ticket for the general election. The state does not use ranked-choice voting or nonpartisan blanket primaries for the gubernatorial race. The process allows a diverse field of candidates to compete in party primaries before the general election. According to the election summaries, endorsements play a notable role, as seen with Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser on the Democratic side and Barbara Kirkmeyer and Victor Marx among Republicans. Independent and third-party candidates participate by filing ahead of the respective deadlines. The eventual governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on a unified ticket in the November general election.
Polling and Race Outlook for the 2026 Colorado Governor Election
As of mid-2025, polling in the Democratic primary showed Michael Bennet with 53% support, Phil Weiser with 22%, and 25% of voters undecided. Earlier hypothetical polling in late 2024 indicated a fragmented field with Joe Neguse at 20%, Jena Griswold at 16%, Phil Weiser at 8%, and 37% undecided. These results suggest significant uncertainty among primary voters at this stage. Election summaries and race analysts currently rate the 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election as ‘solidly Democratic.’ Multiple candidates from both major parties and independent/third-party backgrounds have filed for the open seat. No additional general election polling data or predictions are provided at this time.
Key Issues in the 2026 Colorado Governor Race
Key issues for the 2026 Colorado governor election include accountability and transparency in government spending, public safety and law enforcement, education funding and teacher pay, affordability (including healthcare and housing costs), and the balance of state and local government powers. Other significant topics are preserving constitutional rights and liberties, limiting government overreach, improving state infrastructure, opposition to certain federal programs that affect local governance, and reforms to the ballot initiative process emphasizing transparency and local ratification. These issues reflect both statewide concerns and priorities highlighted by candidates and summarized in the available election coverage.
Partner with Sutton & Smart for Colorado Election Services
Are you working on a campaign for the 2026 Colorado governor election? Sutton & Smart offers expertise in petition gathering, canvassing, voter contact, and political consulting. Contact us to learn how we support campaigns and organizations across Colorado.
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_gubernatorial_and_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election,_2026
2026 Colorado Gubernatorial Election | Candidates, Polls, and Predictions
https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/11/04/denver-voters-bond-package/
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Jon Sutton
An expert in management, strategy, and field organizing, Jon has been a frequent commentator in national publications.
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