2026 Colorado gubernatorial election

Last updated

2026 Colorado gubernatorial election
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←  2022 November 3, 20262030 →
 
Party Democratic Republican
Incumbent Governor

Jared Polis
Democratic



The 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Colorado. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jared Polis is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term in office. Republicans have not won a Colorado gubernatorial election since 2002.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Potential

Declined

Endorsements

Michael Bennet

U.S. senators

U.S. representatives

State legislators

Local officials

Phil Weiser

Statewide officials

U.S. representatives

Individuals

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Michael
Bennet		Phil
Weiser		Undecided
Global Strategy Group (D) [14] [A] June 9–11, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%53%22%25%
Hypothetical polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Jena
Griswold		Joe
Neguse		Ken
Salazar		Phil
Weiser		OtherUndecided
Healthier Colorado (D)/Magellan Strategies (R) [15] December 4–9, 2024630 (LV)± 3.9%16%20%11%8%8%37%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Filed paperwork

  • Stevan Gess [22]
  • Jon Gray-Ginsberg, candidate for governor in 2022 [23]
  • Robin Jones [24]

Third parties

American Constitution

Filed paperwork

  • Stephen Hamilton [25]

Independents

Filed paperwork

Declined

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [30] Solid DSeptember 11, 2025
Inside Elections [31] Solid DAugust 28, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball [32] Safe DSeptember 4, 2025
Race to the WH [33] Likely DSeptember 16, 2025

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients
  1. ↑ Poll sponsored by Bennet's campaign

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kim, Caitlyn (April 11, 2025). "Sen. Michael Bennet is officially running for governor". Colorado Public Radio . Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  2. ↑ Paul, Jesse (January 2, 2025). "Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser launches 2026 campaign for governor". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  3. ↑ Cotton, Anthony (March 21, 2025). "Interview: Colorado's Ken Salazar on trade with Mexico, border security, cartels, and what he calls the Gulf". Colorado Public Radio . Retrieved March 24, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Woodruff, Chase (April 11, 2025). "Michael Bennet upends race with Colorado governor bid". Colorado Newsline . Retrieved April 12, 2025. Rumored contenders for governor in 2026 had included Salazar, Secretary of State Jena Griswold, and U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow...Neguse and Crow both quickly endorsed Bennet on Friday morning
  5. 1 2 Luning, Ernest (May 9, 2025). "Fields for Colorado's top 2026 statewide, congressional races begin to take shape". Colorado Politics . Retrieved May 9, 2025. Every incumbent member of Congress from Colorado who is up for election next year is seeking another term
  6. ↑ Zelinger, Marshall (December 16, 2024). "Poll shows Rep. Joe Neguse leading Democratic candidates in race for Colorado governor". KUSA . Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  7. ↑ Paul, Jesse (February 27, 2025). "Crisanta Duran, a former Colorado House speaker, jumps into 2026 race for attorney general". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ Paul, Jesse (April 7, 2025). "Jena Griswold is running to be Colorado's next attorney general". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved April 7, 2025. Griswold was also considering a 2026 bid to be Colorado's next governor. But those plans changed in the wake of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet's expected gubernatorial candidacy.
  9. ↑ Zornio, Trish (April 1, 2024). "Zornio: These 6 women could replace Jared Polis in 2026. They're not who you think". The Colorado Sun . Archived from the original on April 20, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024. Johnston has promised not to [run for governor] on the heels of his election.
  10. 1 2 3 Paul, Jesse (April 11, 2025). "Michael Bennet's campaign for Colorado governor has officially begun. So has the power struggle to fill his Senate seat". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  11. 1 2 McRae, Jennifer (April 11, 2025). "Sen. Michael Bennet announces campaign for governor of Colorado". CBS News . Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  12. 1 2 Solender, Andrew; Frank, John; Neukam, Stephen. "Scoop: Michael Bennet to launch bid for Colorado governor". Axios . Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ Paul, Jesse (January 2, 2025). "Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser launches 2026 campaign for governor". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ Baumann, Andrew; Teitelbaum, Joey (June 13, 2025). "New Polling Finds Bennet with a Wide Lead in Colorado Dem Governor Primary" (PDF). Global Strategy Group . Retrieved June 17, 2025– via www.michaelbennet.com.
  15. ↑ Zelinger, Marshall (November 16, 2024). "Poll shows Rep. Joe Neguse leading Democratic candidates in race for Colorado governor". KUSA . Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  16. ↑ Birkeland, Bente (March 3, 2025). "Mark Baisley becomes second Republican state lawmaker to enter Colorado's 2026 race for governor". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  17. ↑ Paul, Jesse (January 20, 2025). "Scott Bottoms, Republican state representative, will run for Colorado governor in 2026". The Colorado Sun . Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  18. ↑ Metzger, Hannah (January 22, 2025). "Third Time's the Charm? Jason Clark Is Running for Colorado Governor...Again". Westword . Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  19. ↑ Paul, Jesse (September 9, 2025). "Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer is running to be Colorado's next governor". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  20. ↑ Klamann, Seth (April 14, 2025). "Former congressman Greg Lopez announces third run for Colorado governor". The Denver Post . Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  21. ↑ Watson, Lauren (March 13, 2025). "Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell running for Colorado governor". KKTV . Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Candidate registration for Steven Gass on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". Colorado Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Candidate registration for Jon Gray-Ginsburg on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". Colorado Secretary of State. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Candidate registration for Robin Jones on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Candidate registration for Stephen Hamilton on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Candidate registration for Rev Willow Collamer on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Candidate registration for William "Will" McBride on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". tracer.sos.colorado.gov. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Candidate registration for Bradley Allen Wall on Colorado Secretary of State TRACER". tracer.sos.colorado.gov. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  29. ↑ Kenney, Andrew (August 20, 2024). "The multimillionaire who reshaped Colorado's electoral system wants to make even bigger changes". Colorado Public Radio . Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024. During a recent interview at his mansion in Cherry Hills Village, Thiry said he would not run for the state's highest office.
  30. ↑ "2026 CPR Governor Race ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections . Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  32. ↑ "2026 Governor". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Governor Forecast - 2026-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
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