Weiser holds off Sen. Michael Bennet for Colorado Dem governor nomination
In Colorado’s Democratic primary for governor, Attorney General Phil Weiser defeated incumbent Senator Michael Bennet with 54.7% of the vote, surpassing Bennet’s 45.3%, according to the Associated Press. Weiser’s victory was unexpected, as polls initially suggested Bennet’s clear path to the nomination. Both candidates focused their campaigns on responses to Trump-era policies, with Weiser criticizing Bennet for voting infrequently in the Senate and for not adequately challenging Trump’s actions in court. The race also highlighted differences over issues like healthcare, education, and affordability. Weiser emphasizes expanding healthcare options and leaving cellphone bans to school districts, while Bennet proposed a public healthcare option and a statewide ban on cellphones in schools. The deep-blue Colorado is expected to favor Weiser in the general election, but the Republican primary remains unsettled. the primary centered on contrasting approaches to policy and responses to Republican management policies.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser mounted a come-from-behind victory Tuesday over Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in Colorado’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Pundits had expected Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) to coast through the Democratic primary when he first announced his candidacy in April 2025. But Weiser, who has sued the Trump administration over 60 times, successfully parlayed the matchup into a showdown on who could best fight President Donald Trump’s agenda and turned the race on its head.
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Weiser pulled out the Democratic primary win with 54.7% of the vote compared to Bennet’s 45.3%, according to the Associated Press, which called the race at 9:55 p.m.
In deep-blue Colorado, where a Republican has not won a statewide office in a decade, Weiser is largely expected to win the general election against whoever his GOP opponent is. The Republican primary was still too close to call late Tuesday evening.
The unexpected toss-up primary centered largely on each candidate’s response to the policies championed by the Trump administration, such as its immigration enforcement tactics, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and projects Trump has cut in the state, such as his move to veto a bill to build a water pipeline in the state.
Weiser had hit Bennet hard on his record in the Senate, positing Bennet as an incumbent who has not shown up for enough votes during the election. As the polls tightened between Bennet and Weiser, Bennet showed up for just two of 62 Senate roll call votes in June, with Weiser calling on his opponent to “do your day job.”
Bennet, on the other hand, had bashed Weiser for not challenging Trump enough in court.
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Outside of their sparring over the other’s suggested insufficient responses to the Republican administration, the two zeroed in on the Democratic establishment’s messaging of affordability in their platforms. Each sought to elevate their ideas to bring more affordable housing, childcare, and healthcare to Coloradans.
In the primary campaign, Bennet championed ideas like a new “Colorado Public Option” system for healthcare and a statewide ban on cellphones in schools, while Weiser pushed the idea of adding businesses to the state healthcare plan and favored leaving cellphone bans up to individual school districts, according to Axios.
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