Weiser wins Colorado Democratic governor primary over Bennet

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser won the Democratic nomination for governor, defeating U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in a race that became a test of who could best take on President Donald Trump. The Associated Press called the contest just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, and CPR News later reported Weiser finished with 54.7% to Bennet’s 45.3%.

The result hands Weiser the party’s nod to succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis and places him on a clear path into the general election in a state that leans blue. The campaign had tightened sharply in the final stretch after Bennet opened as the early favorite, with late polling showing Weiser overtaking him as voters settled on the Democratic choice for governor.

Weiser’s win reflects the weight of his statewide profile. As Colorado’s attorney general, he entered the race with an office that gave him direct visibility on consumer protection, public safety and state-versus-federal fights, all of which mattered in a primary framed around resistance to Trump. Bennet, by contrast, was trying to convert his long tenure in the U.S. Senate into a gubernatorial coalition, but he could not hold off Weiser’s late surge.

Money tracked the same shift. Colorado campaign finance TRACER filings showed Weiser ahead of Bennet in total contributions and loans in the latest available reports, with Weiser posting $6,958,956.64 and Bennet at $6,029,211.57. That financial edge helped Weiser compete statewide in a contest that drew heavy attention well beyond Denver because the Democratic nominee is so likely to be favored in November.

The primary was part of a crowded 2026 Colorado ballot that also included statewide races for attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and a U.S. Senate seat. Bennet’s bid was notable beyond Colorado as well: AP described him as one of four sitting senators running for governor, the most in recent history.