DENVER — In his bid to become Colorado’s next governor, state Attorney General Phil Weiser likes to frame himself as his state’s environmental defender, standing between its public lands and waters and the threat of President Donald Trump.
But before he can do battle with the White House, Weiser will need to defeat another opponent: Sen. Michael Bennet, who also claims the conservationist mantle.
The two Democratic officials are widely viewed as the top contenders in the open-seat race to succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis (D). The state, with a population near 6 million, has not elected a Republican to its top office since 2002.
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That makes the winner of the June 2026 primary the de facto next governor of the state.
