The primary elections in Colorado have officially been called, setting the ballot for midterm elections this fall and determining who’s running in local, statewide and congressional races.
Larimer County Treasurer
The Larimer County Treasurer is responsible for collecting property taxes and distributing them to collecting authorities, such as school districts, special districts and municipalities within the county.
There were two Democratic candidates: Conor Duffy and Joann Ginal. Ginal won the primary with about 58% of the vote. Ginal is a former state senator and state representative for Fort Collins.
On the Republican side, Steve Olson ran unopposed. Olson formerly served in the Navy and as a city councilor in Loveland. Olson will be running against Ginal in the general election.
Larimer County Commissioner, District 1
The Board of County Commissioners is responsible for overseeing the county’s budget and programs, as well as departments that work with the Colorado Department of Human Services. The board is also one of the primary policy-making bodies in the county. The District 1 seat serves northern Fort Collins, LaPorte, Wellington and surrounding areas.
Shane Atkinson, the Democratic candidate, ran unopposed after his competing candidates both ended their campaigns before the primaries due to not having enough votes to be placed on the ballot. Atkinson will be the Democratic candidate featured on the midterm ballot come November. His campaign focused on his familiarity with Larimer County operations, as well as affordable housing, accessible healthcare and more.
On the Republican side, Marc Roberson won his primary unopposed. Roberson’s campaign focused on fiscal responsibility and lower property taxes. He will run against Atkinson for the county commissioner seat in the general election.
House District 52
Colorado’s House District 52 covers parts of Larimer County and includes the southern parts of Fort Collins.
Incumbent Yara Zokaie is running for reelection for her seat in the Colorado House of Representatives to represent District 52. Zokaie ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
No one ran for the Republican primary and it was subsequently cancelled. Zokaie will be the only name on the ballot for the general election.
House District 53
Colorado’s House District 53 represents the Northern parts of Fort Collins.
Incumbent Andy Boesenecker won the Democratic primary uncontested and advanced to the general election.
On the Republican side, Daniel Frick won the primary uncontested. The general election ballot in November will feature Boesenecker and Frick.
U.S. House, Congressional District 2
Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District encompasses Fort Collins, Boulder, Longmont, Steamboat Springs and other surrounding communities.
On the Democratic side, incumbent candidate Joe Neguse is seeking reelection. He was first elected in 2018 and received 68.4% in the most recent vote in 2024. He ran uncontested during the June 30 primary and will be running on the Democratic ticket in the general election in November.
Kelley Dennison won the Republican primary, taking the lead over Christina Blunt by just under 16 percentage points. However, Colorado has consistently elected Democratic candidates by large margins and Neguse is expected to have a strong advantage come November.
Governor
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will conclude his second and final term in office in January 2027, as he is term-limited and ineligible for reelection. The Democratic primary candidates were Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser. Weiser defeated Bennet by over 13 percentage points and he will be heavily favored in November’s midterms.
Phil Weiser has been the Colorado attorney general since 2019. His campaign focused on economic opportunity, youth well-being and defending civil rights. Weiser has also emphasized his background as a first-generation American, as his parents were refugees from the Holocaust.
Victor Marx won the Republican primary for Colorado Governor over State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer with only a 0.5% lead — around 2,500 votes.
U.S. Senate
Incumbent John Hickenlooper won the Colorado Senate primary. Hickenlooper has previously served as mayor of Denver and Colorado governor. Hickenlooper took the lead over State Sen. Julie Gonzales by 5.6 percentage points. His campaign emphasized affordability, climate change action and public lands protection.
The Republican primary had only one candidate, Sen. Mark Baisley, who ran unopposed.
Hickenlooper and Baisley will both be on the general election ballot in November. Statewide elections have typically favored Democratic candidates in recent cycles.
Attorney General
Four Democratic candidates ran for the attorney general position. Jena Griswold secured the seat with 44.21% of the vote, taking a strong lead over her three opponents.
Griswold is the current Colorado Secretary of State and was first elected in 2018. Her background includes working in international anti-corruption law and she has served as a voter protection attorney.
On the Republican side, there were two candidates. Michael Allen secured the seat with a 19 percentage point advantage over David Willson. Allen and Griswold will be running in the general election for attorney general of Colorado.
Secretary of State
The Secretary of State position is open due to Griswold being term-limited. On the Democratic side, Amanda Gonzalez, Jefferson County clerk and recorder, took the lead by nearly 30 percentage points. On the Republican side, James Wiley won uncontested.
State Treasurer
The state treasurer office was uncontested for both parties. Jeff Bridges, a state senator and chair of the Joint Budget Committee, won the Democratic primary. Kevin Grantham, former state senate president, won the Republican primary.
General Election
The Colorado general election will occur Nov. 3. Voters can verify registration status and party affiliation through the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.
Reach Skylar White at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
