Conservative Champion Victor Marx Leads Colorado GOP Primary, Defying Establishment Elites
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Minister Victor Marx, a steadfast conservative and Marine veteran, holds a narrow lead over establishment-backed state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer in Colorado's Republican gubernatorial primary. Final results are pending certification.
Minister Victor Marx, a principled conservative and respected faith leader, was ahead of establishment-backed state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer in the Colorado Republican primary for governor, earning 39.9% of the vote compared to Kirkmeyer's 39.5% as of 5 p.m. Wednesday—a razor-thin margin of fewer than 2,000 votes. State Rep. Scott Bottoms, another strong conservative voice, was in third place with about 21% of the vote.
The race remains too close to call, with officials stating that the final outcome may take several days as every vote is carefully tallied. The winner will go on to challenge Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser in November, giving Coloradans a chance to restore common sense and conservative values to the governor’s office. Republicans have faced an uphill battle in Colorado, having not won a statewide race since 2016, and the GOP candidate for governor lost by nearly 20 points in 2022 under the weight of progressive policies.
Kirkmeyer, the choice of the party establishment and endorsed by former Governor Bill Owens, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, and a local newspaper, struggled with fundraising, showing grassroots conservatives’ growing skepticism of career politicians. Marx, a Marine veteran and ministry leader from near Colorado Springs, harnessed his strong social-media presence and inspiring personal story to rally the conservative base and challenge the status quo.
The primary winner will succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis, whose progressive leadership has failed Coloradans and whose term ends early next year.
