By Chase Woodruff, Colorado Newsline

Posted June 18, 2026

 

Coloradans will elect the 44th governor in state history this year, and the nominees of the Democratic, Republican and Unity parties will be determined by primary elections on June 30.

 

Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat first elected in 2018 and reelected four years later, is term-limited.

 

Colorado Newsline sent questionnaires to candidates in contested primary races and is publishing responses as part of its voter guide to help Coloradans make informed choices.

Ballots were scheduled to be mailed to all registered voters in Colorado starting June 8.

 

Voters can contact their county clerk if they have not received their ballot or check the online BallotTrax system. They can also visit the secretary of state’s website to make a plan to vote in person ahead of or on Election Day. Ballots need to be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m. on that day, so voters should mail their ballot at least eight days ahead of time or drop it off in person.

 

Colorado governor, Democrats: Phil Weiser and Michael Bennet

 

What would be your highest priority as governor during your first year in office, and how should Coloradans measure your progress?

 

WEISER: My top priorities will be fighting back against the Trump administration and ensuring the next generation can afford to live in Colorado and has the opportunity to thrive here. Right now, the federal government is attacking the rule of the law, slashing funding for critical programs and rolling back civil rights. As attorney general, I’ve sued the Trump administration 65 times — and we’re winning again and again. As governor, I’ll fight to protect Colorado against this lawless, bullying administration. Colorado also faces skyrocketing housing costs that are pushing teachers further away from the communities where they work, our healthcare system is broken, and our economy is leaving too many behind — especially the next generation. As governor, I’ll build more housing Coloradans can afford, launch “Primary Care for All” to fix our broken healthcare system, and make it easier to start a business. I’ve done this work as attorney general — taking on corporate landlords, fighting mega-mergers that threaten to jack up prices, and holding Big Pharma accountable. I’ll measure success by how many young people chose to stay in Colorado and can afford a life here — and whether teachers can afford to live in the communities where they work.

 

BENNET: My highest priority will be taking the cost-of-living crisis head on and doing the hard work of moving Colorado forward. My wife Susan and I raised our three girls here — and I want them to build their lives here, too. But for too many people, that’s getting harder. Costs are too high. Families and businesses are being pushed out. Our budget is in crisis. And Donald Trump is doing everything he can to make things worse. He’s sending masked agents into our communities, attacking Colorado day in and day out, and trampling over the rule of law. As governor, I will work with Colorado to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the very top. That means ensuring no Coloradan has to pay more than 30% of their income on housing, launching a real public option for healthcare to drive costs down, starting an economy-wide cap-and-invest program to hold corporations accountable, and making sure our public education system is giving students the skills they need to enter the middle class.

 

When it comes to state laws and regulations you want to see enacted as governor, what is the most substantial policy difference between you and your primary opponent?

 

WEISER: The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling has been toxic to American politics. Big corporations and dark money are corrupting our elections and eroding confidence in government. As a result, far too many politicians focus on the needs of the wealthy few and powerful companies — not those of the people who voted for them. We can address this devastating court ruling by taking action here in Colorado — and it can be done by amending our laws to make it explicit that corporations are not, and don’t possess the rights of, human beings. Colorado’s law listing out corporate powers granted by the General Assembly sets out a range of powers corporations wield, like the ability to sue and be sued, to lend money, and so on. It also provides corporations “the same powers as an individual.” Colorado can and must change this law through the Legislature. Since the beginning of this race, Michael Bennet’s super PAC has been bankrolled by out-of-state billionaires, dark money, and big corporations like Cigna and Uber. The biggest policy difference between me and Bennet is that I’m committed to overturning Citizens United in Colorado — and Bennet is running a campaign backed by big corporations and out-of-state billionaires.

 

BENNET: There are real differences in this race, particularly around policy. I’m the only candidate in this race with a real plan to cap emissions and make progress on our climate goals. I will launch an economy-wide climate cap on pollution, called cap-and-invest, that will require corporations to cut pollution or pay to support state efforts to reach our emissions goals another way. My opponent says it may not be legal. I’m also the only candidate with a plan to create a real public option as part of a comprehensive effort to reform our healthcare system so that we bring down healthcare costs and focus on preventative care, patients and providers, instead of insurance and private equity. My housing plan sets a goal that no Coloradan pays more than 30% of their income on housing and will help us build the units to achieve it. My opponent calls to build half of the housing we need. Colorado can’t wait for more studies, more commissions, or more policy czars. Colorado needs big ideas, real results, and someone willing to make the hard decisions and tell the truth — even when it’s inconvenient, even to my own party. That’s what I’ll deliver.

 

What’s a hobby or a passion of yours that has nothing to do with politics, and why is it meaningful to you?

 

WEISER: I am a devoted basketball fan and LOVE the Denver Nuggets. This recent Nuggets run — anchored by Nikola Jokić, a generational talent we will never see again — is about achieving excellence, playing the game the right way, and making everyone on the team the best they can be. That’s how I aspire to lead the state of Colorado as governor.

 

BENNET: One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is climb Colorado’s 13ers and 14ers. They’re where some of my most treasured memories were made with my wife, Susan, and our three daughters. They’re a big part of what makes Colorado the most beautiful state in the country, and a great way to relax, reconnect, and appreciate Colorado’s public lands.

 

Colorado celebrates the 150th anniversary of its admission to the union this year. Who is a figure from the Centennial State’s history that inspires you, and why?

 

WEISER: Billy Adams was Colorado’s governor in the 1920s from the San Luis Valley. At the time, the Ku Klux Klan controlled everything in Colorado — and Billy Adams built the anti-Klan caucus to stop them. In response, the Klan said they were going to defund what was then called “Normal School,” which is now called Adams State University — named after Billy Adams. Billy Adams went to his community and said they had to pull together to keep “Normal School” alive and not give into the Klan — and that’s what they did. Billy Adams then ran for governor on an anti-Klan platform, fighting for what was right. He won, and he got the Klan out of Colorado. The Billy Adams story is one for our time. As governor, I’ll do what Billy Adams did: I’ll lead with hope, fight for a better future, and bring people together to solve problems. That’s why I’m in this work. I am not running to be governor backed by out-of-state billionaires and big corporations. I’m backed by the people — and I believe that politics is about people. That’s what Billy Adams did — and that’s what I’ll do as your next governor.

 

BENNET: Former Colorado Gov. Ralph Carr is one of my heroes. He stood up for the Japanese Americans who President Franklin Roosevelt interned at Camp Amache at a time when most politicians in our country were either not speaking out or actively allowing internment to happen. Governor Carr stood up for our highest ideals as a nation because it was what was right, and he lost his political career because of it. It is one of the reasons I was honored to work with the survivors, descendants, and community leaders to preserve Camp Amache as a National Historic Site and make it part of the National Park System so Coloradans and Americans across the country can learn about the history of our country.

 

In another 50 years, Coloradans will be looking back at 200 years of state history, while celebrating the nation’s tricentennial. If elected, what would you want the history books in 2076 to say about your governorship?

 

WEISER: In 2076, I want Coloradans to look back at this moment and my tenure as governor and say: In the face of historic intimidation from a lawless, bullying president, Colorado stood strong, fought for what was right, and defended the rights and freedoms of Colorado and our people — all while investing in our kids’ future and building a brighter future for the next generation. Colorado is at a crossroads — but we’ve been here before. In the late 1980s, Colorado was struggling to keep young people and businesses from fleeing the state and wasn’t building a brighter future for the next generation — but we turned the ship around by making the right policy decisions. Thanks to the leadership of former Gov. Roy Romer and former Denver Mayor Federico Peña — both of whom have endorsed me in this race — Colorado brought people together to move our state forward and invest in our kids’ future. Colorado faces a similar challenge today — and I’m ready to lead.

 

BENNET: I would hope they would look back and see that Colorado elected a governor who was willing to challenge the status quo, make the tough decisions and get results for all Coloradans. That we were able to build a Colorado that is not defined by Donald Trump, but by the work we did to build an economy that works for everyone. That we built a Colorado where the next generation can afford to build a life and succeed. And that Colorado led the country in creating real opportunity and driving a stake through the divisive politics practiced by President Trump.

 

Due to the length of the questionnaire, read responses by additional gubernatorial candidates Republicans: Barbara Kirkmeyer, Scott Bottoms and Victor Marx; Unity Party: Paul Noël Fiorino and Jeff Peckman at Colorado Newsline.

 

Chase Woodruff is a senior reporter for Colorado Newsline.

This article  is republished from Colorado Newsline under a Creative Commons license. Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.