Weiser Beats Bennet 55%-43% as Hickenlooper Fends Off Left-Wing Senate Challenge
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 1
Weiser Beats Bennet 55%-43% as Hickenlooper Fends Off Left-Wing Senate Challenge
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 1
Summary
Phil Weiser won Colorado’s Democratic gubernatorial primary with 55% of the vote to Michael Bennet’s 43% with 77% counted, flipping a race Bennet had entered as the frontrunner.
Weiser’s upset reflected an anti-establishment mood in Colorado Democrats after he cast Bennet as a Washington insider and criticized his support for some Trump Cabinet picks.
John Hickenlooper, 74, also survived that generational pressure, defeating 43-year-old state Sen. Julie Gonzales by double digits to secure the Democratic Senate nomination.
Eileen Laubacher won the Democratic nomination to face Lauren Boebert in the 4th District, while 29-year-old Melat Kiros held a narrow lead over 68-year-old Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver’s marquee House race.
Colorado’s primaries again underscored that the state’s main political fights are inside the Democratic Party, with Democrats having won every gubernatorial race there since 2008.
How did an underdog with less funding defeat a 17-year Senate veteran in a statewide primary?
What is the economic recovery plan for Colorado Springs as Space Command's relocation to Alabama proceeds?
Can deregulation alone solve Colorado's housing crisis, or is a different approach needed to ensure affordability?
Phil Weiser’s Upset Victory Over Michael Bennet: How Grassroots Strategy Redefined Colorado’s 2026 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary
Overview
Phil Weiser achieved a decisive victory over Michael Bennet in the Colorado Democratic gubernatorial primary on June 30, 2026, by running a grassroots-focused campaign that emphasized community involvement. This approach proved highly effective against Bennet, a more established opponent. With Colorado’s strong history of electing Democratic governors and only one Republican holding the office in the past 50 years, Weiser is now the clear favorite for the general election. The current political climate also favors Democrats, making Weiser well positioned to succeed the term-limited Governor Jared Polis in November.