Victor Marx wins Republican primary for Colorado governor

Victor Marx won the Republican nomination for Colorado governor after a delayed count of outstanding ballots and ballot cures pushed the race into the following week.

Marx narrowly defeated state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, with state Rep. Scott Bottoms finishing third. The Associated Press called the race after final vote counting showed Marx ahead, and Kirkmeyer conceded in a statement.

Narrow primary win

The primary, held June 30, featured a split Republican field that reflected the party’s divisions in Colorado. Kirkmeyer was seen as the more establishment-backed candidate, while Bottoms represented a more hard-right lane. Marx, a political newcomer, ran as an outsider with a campaign centered on his biography and humanitarian work.

AP reported that Marx said in a victory video that he wanted to build a coalition with voters who did not support him. Kirkmeyer thanked her supporters and volunteers and made a pointed remark about Marx’s past.

General election ahead

Marx will now face Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser in November. Republicans have not elected a governor in Colorado in more than two decades, making the general election an uphill contest in a state that has favored Democrats in recent statewide races.

Marx’s background is likely to remain central to the campaign. He is a Marine Corps veteran and founder of All Things Possible Ministries, and Democrats are expected to test his personal history as they try to define him for general election voters.

The result gives Republicans a nominee who can appeal to voters looking for an outsider, but it also sets up a campaign in which party leaders will need to unify quickly after a narrow primary.