Weiser wins Colorado Democratic governor primary race over Bennet

Key Points:

• Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser won the Democratic primary for governor, defeating Senator Michael Bennet by about 10 percentage points with over 80% of votes counted, signaling voter preference for Weiser's antiestablishment message.
• Both candidates focused their campaigns on opposing former President Donald Trump, but Weiser criticized Bennet for confirming several Trump Cabinet nominees and being a Washington insider, while Bennet accused Weiser of not aggressively suing the Trump administration.
• Weiser, in his second term as attorney general, has filed or joined over 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration, contrasting with Bennet's mixed record on Trump nominees and criticism for missed votes.
• Despite Bennet outspending Weiser nearly 2-to-1 on ads since early 2025, Weiser's message resonated with voters frustrated with the political status quo, positioning him as the front-runner to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Jared Polis.
• Bennet will remain a U.S. Senator until 2029, having been first appointed in 2009 and last re-elected in 2022, while Weiser transitions from law school dean and attorney general to gubernatorial candidate.