Marine Corps veteran Victor Marx has claimed victory in the Republican primary race for Colorado governor, emerging as the GOP’s nominee after a tight contest that took days to resolve.
Marx edged out state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, who was considered his toughest challenger in the June 30 election. The race was too close to call on election night due to a large number of outstanding ballots, but most counties — including the state’s largest — have since reported their final tallies.
A third contender, state Rep. Scott Bottoms, finished behind both Marx and Kirkmeyer in the final results.
Marx is set to take on Democrat Phil Weiser, who currently serves as the state attorney general, in the November general election.
Republicans face an uphill battle in Colorado, where no GOP candidate has won the governorship in more than 20 years. The state also voted for Democrat Kamala Harris over Donald Trump by more than 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential race.
Marx is considered an unconventional candidate with a colorful and controversial background. Among the bold claims he has made about his life is that his abusive stepfather forced him, at just 7 years old, to kill a man.
On the fundraising front, Marx led the entire Republican field, bringing in roughly $2.8 million in contributions and entering the final 20-day stretch of the campaign with around $200,000 cash on hand. Those figures more than doubled the combined fundraising totals of both Kirkmeyer and Bottoms.
Current Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, cannot seek another term due to term limits.
