Updated 3:30 p.m., Jan. 2, 2025
As Coloradans returned from the New Year’s holiday on Thursday, the state’s top prosecutor announced a major resolution: to run for governor in 2026.
Democrat Phil Weiser is midway through his second term as Attorney General. Over his six years in the office he made a name for himself fighting the first Trump administration in court, as well as suing opioid manufacturers and social media companies.
With Governor Jared Polis term-limited, many political observers anticipate a crowded field of Democrats vying to succeed him. Weiser believes his tenure as AG provides the experience and leadership credentials to distinguish himself from the competition.
“In terms of preparation, I've worked on every single issue that Colorado faces. I've been there with Governor Polis as we've dealt with issues on public health, on protecting our land, air, and water and more,” said Weiser.
Attorney general is Weiser’s first elected office. He previously served as dean of the CU law school. He also held posts in the Obama administration, including Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the anti-trust division and as an advisor to the national economic council.
If elected, Weiser intends to build on the work of recent Democratic governors, focusing on things like expanding pre-K access, further implementing full-day kindergarten, and meeting the state’s renewable energy goals.
“Colorado is so fortunate to have had prior leaders like Gov. Polis and Gov. Hickenlooper who set a high bar for innovative leadership, for bold ideas and for making Colorado a leader nationally on many fronts,” said Weiser.
When asked what would be the most important issues the next governor needs to tackle, the Attorney General highlighted housing affordability as the top priority. He also stressed the importance of addressing climate challenges, such as droughts and wildfires, through strong leadership to protect Colorado's natural resources. Also central to his vision is a focus on mental health, particularly youth mental health, and public safety, crime prevention and law enforcement training.
The left-leaning group Healthier Colorado, and right-leaning Magellan Strategies recently surveyed 630 Democratic and unaffiliated voters on four of the potential primary candidates.
Twenty percent of those polled said they’d support congressman Joe Neguse in a theoretical Democratic primary, 16 percent went for Secretary of State Jena Griswold, 11 percent for former Interior Secretary and U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and 8 percent for Weiser – with almost 40 percent of respondents stating that they have never heard of him.
But Weiser said he’s not daunted by a lack of name recognition at this point.
“The honest truth is when I started running for Attorney General, nobody knew who I was,” he said. “So I've made a lot of progress and I'll keep making progress and we'll fight hard to win it.”
On the Republican side, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, and outgoing 4th Congressional District Rep. Greg Lopez, who was selected to fill out the last few months of Ken Buck’s term, are potential contenders for governor.
Other than Weiser, none of those potential candidates has yet confirmed they’re interested in the office.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with quotes from A.G. Weiser and more information about his campaign.
