Phil Weiser Defeats Michael Bennet With 55% in Colorado Governor Primary
Updated
Updated · Coloradoan · Jul 1
Phil Weiser Defeats Michael Bennet With 55% in Colorado Governor Primary
3 articles · Updated · Coloradoan · Jul 1
Summary
55% of counted votes put Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser over U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democratic primary for governor, and Bennet conceded shortly before 10:15 p.m.
Nearly 60,000 votes separated the two in early statewide returns, capping a race to succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis that Bennet had entered as the frontrunner.
Weiser's win was cast as part of an anti-establishment wave in Democratic contests, reversing earlier polling that had once shown Bennet with a sizable lead.
Colorado Democrats also backed Sen. John Hickenlooper for renomination with 57%, while Weiser now heads to November as the likely favorite in a state Democrats have carried in every gubernatorial race since 2008.
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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.