Weiser wins Dems’ primary for governor; GOP race is close

By Liam Hibbert
The Center Square

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser was projected to win the Democratic primary for governor after early results on Tuesday, but the Republican primary for the same seat was too close to call.

Meanwhile, the attorney general primaries were determined by large margins.

In the gubernatorial race, Weiser had 54.8% of the votes, which gave him a big lead over his opponent, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, with 45.2% during early results. Weiser led Bennet with over 600,000 total votes cast across the state, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Weiser was most notably ahead in the greater Denver area.

Weiser is expected to go up in the Nov. 3 election against whoever wins the Republican primary, and the winner will succeed Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who’s termed-out.

While Scott Bottoms trailed in the Republican gubernatorial primary with 19.8% of votes, Victor Marx (38.7%) and state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer (41.5%) remained within 11,000 votes of each other out of a total 385,000 counted Tuesday evening.

A nonprofit founder, Marx positioned himself as the outsider candidate, while Kirkmeyer, R-Larimier and Weld counties, leaned on her political experience during her campaign.

The Democratic primary race had centered around an economic agenda with one of the biggest talking points between the political heavyweights being who could push back against President Donald Trump most effectively.

The Republican primary race has also focused on the economy.

In other races, state attorney general primaries were decided by wide margins Tuesday evening.

Two Republican candidates squared off for their party ticket, with El Paso District Attorney Michael Allen (60.7%) projected to beat lawyer David Wilson (39.3%) as of Tuesday evening.

Four Democrats looked to succeed Weiser, who’s termed-out as attorney general. As of Tuesday evening, Secretary of State Jena Griswold (47.0%) appeared to handedly win the primary over Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty (20.3%), nonprofit executive David Seligman (17.3%) and former state Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hetal Doshi (15.8%).