Colorado — Governor

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports TABOR reform and state modernization

Phil Weiser advocates updating constitutional spending limits like TABOR, arguing that outdated formulas prevent the state from adequately funding schools and infrastructure even during economic expansions. He pledges to modernize state government using technology, appoint a Chief Innovation Officer, and prioritize K-12 education and healthcare spending during budget balancing.

• Lead a statewide effort to update constitutional restrictions like TABOR that hinder investments in public education and infrastructure.
• Appoint a Chief Innovation Officer to streamline state government operations and improve response times.
• Protect K-12 education and Medicaid spending as top priorities whenever state budget reductions are required.

“It’s unacceptable that obscure formulas approved decades ago and locked into our constitution make it impossible to fully fund schools and infrastructure even in good economic times, while we're forced to give windfalls to the wealthiest taxpayers.”

“When doing the hard work to balance this challenging budget, I will do so with the principle that K-12 education and healthcare are protected at all costs.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports strict TABOR enforcement and agency audits

Victor Marx promises full performance, financial, and compliance audits of all state executive agencies immediately upon taking office. He vows to strictly defend TABOR by vetoing any legislation creating new fees or state enterprises that bypass voter approval, while expanding the state's online expenditure dashboard and whistleblower protections.

• Require comprehensive performance, financial, and compliance audits of every executive agency upon taking office.
• Veto any legislation attempting to impose new fees or enterprises that circumvent TABOR voter-approval requirements.
• Expand the Colorado Transparency Online Project (TOPS) into a real-time public dashboard for all contracts over $10,000.
• Establish an independent Whistleblower Protection Office to protect public employees and contractors.

“As Governor, I will take action to ensure full performance, financial, and statutory-compliance audits of every executive agency are promptly conducted upon taking office.”

“If elected, I will veto any legislation that attempts to impose any new fee(s) or enterprise(s) upon the citizens of Colorado and advocate for rolling back all previous fees and enterprises that have cost Coloradans million in taxes otherwise but-for the "fees" loophole.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports state housing targets and tenant protections

Weiser's platform focuses on expanding housing supply by adding 40,000 attainable owner-occupied homes and speeding up local permitting for homes under $600,000. He supports expanding down payment assistance for teachers and first responders, banning algorithmic price collusion by corporate landlords, and promoting modular housing.

• Boost attainable owner-occupied housing by 40,000 to close the state housing shortfall gap by 50%.
• Accelerate permitting and lower fees for affordable homes selling for under $600,000.
• Expand down payment assistance for first-time buyers and essential workers like teachers, nurses, and first responders.
• Ban algorithmic price collusion by corporate landlords and protect renters from unfair practices.

“Boost homes Coloradans can afford, increasing attainable owner-occupied homes by 40,000, closing the current gap on the shortfall on such homes by 50%.”

“Ban algorithmic price collusion by corporate landlords.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports regulatory rollback and property tax caps

Marx advocates lowering housing costs by urging municipalities to adopt expedited residential permitting standards and rolling back state building, environmental, and energy mandates that increase construction costs. He also supports inflation-based property tax caps, expanding earned-income tax credits, and stabilizing homeowner property insurance premiums.

• Urge municipalities to adopt expedited residential construction permitting standards with strict response timeframes.
• Conduct a comprehensive regulatory review to eliminate energy and building mandates that inflate construction costs.
• Authorize inflation-based caps on property taxes for owner-occupied homes and preserve the senior homestead exemption.
• Direct market analyses and reinsurance mechanisms to stabilize homeowner property insurance premiums in wildfire-prone areas.

“If elected Governor, I will urge all municipalities to adopt expedited permitting standards for residential construction under C.R.S. § 29-20-201.”

“My administration will order a comprehensive regulatory review under C.R.S. § 24-4-103.5 to identify building, environmental, and energy mandates that significantly increase construction costs without delivering measurable improvements to safety or environmental outcomes.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports law enforcement funding and gun safety laws

Weiser champions funding police recruitment and officer training alongside co-responder models for mental health crises. He supports risk-based bail reform, establishing a Governor's Office of Safe Communities, and defending gun safety regulations including red flag laws and safe storage rules.

• Fund recruitment, modern training, and mental health resources for law enforcement and first responders.
• Expand co-responder models so mental health and addiction crises receive treatment interventions.
• Ensure access to bail is determined by public safety risk rather than personal wealth.
• Defend responsible gun safety laws, including red flag statutes, safe storage requirements, and the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

“Support recruitment and investment in police and sheriffs—we need to fund law enforcement, expand and modernize law enforcement training, and support mental health resources for officers and all first responders.”

“Ensure that access to bail and justice is based on public safety risks, not how much money you have.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports strict bail, mandatory detention, and fentanyl penalties

Marx proposes ending catch-and-release policies by prohibiting automatic release for repeat violent offenders and requiring monetary bail for violent felonies. He advocates expanding participation in federal crime task forces (DEA, ATF, DHS), elevating fentanyl enforcement to a statewide emergency priority with enhanced penalties, and expanding regional secure detox facilities.

• Conduct statewide law enforcement staffing assessments and allocate targeted funding for patrol coverage.
• Prohibit automatic release or non-custodial sentencing for repeat violent offenders.
• Mandate monetary bail for all violent felonies and enforce constitutional provisions to deny bail to dangerous defendants.
• Expand cross-jurisdictional participation in federal task forces (DEA HIDTA, ATF, DHS) and elevate fentanyl penalties.

“My administration will propose legislation prohibiting automatic release or non-custodial sentencing for individuals with multiple violent-offense convictions, as defined under C.R.S. § 24-33.5-412(1).”

“As Governor, I will elevate fentanyl enforcement to a statewide emergency priority, directing the Department of Public Safety to coordinate fentanyl detection, interdiction, and targeted investigations under C.R.S. § 24-33.5-412 and § 24-33.5-1205.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports workforce programs and small business aid

Weiser supports workforce development through the 'Colorado Earn-and-Learn Promise' and creating a ColoradoCorps service program for key public sector professions. He promises small business microloans, a Business Navigator to streamline entrepreneurship, and strict enforcement against wage theft.

• Champion the Colorado Earn-and-Learn Promise to expand apprenticeships and work-based learning pathways.
• Launch ColoradoCorps to fund public service career pathways in nursing, education, counseling, firefighting, and law enforcement.
• Expand access to capital with small business grants, microloans, and a state Business Navigator.
• Maintain zero tolerance for wage theft and unfair treatment of workers.

“Champion a Colorado Earn-and-Learn Promise to expand pathways into good-paying jobs, including apprenticeships and other work-based learning opportunities.”

“Launch ColoradoCorps—a service program for careers in education, law enforcement, nursing, counseling, and fire fighting.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports income tax cuts and banning ESG mandates

Marx advocates a phased reduction of Colorado's state income tax rate tied to verified budget surpluses. He promises to prohibit state ESG mandates on business licensing or contracting and supports expanding industry apprenticeships in construction, energy, and skilled trades.

• Support a phased reduction of the state income tax rate during verified revenue surpluses.
• Prohibit environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks from being mandated for state licensure, contracting, or insurance.
• Expand workforce apprenticeship pipelines in construction, technology, energy, and manufacturing.
• Provide economic development tax credits for advanced manufacturing, clean-tech, and outdoor recreation.

“As Governor, I will support a responsible and phased reduction of the state income tax rate under C.R.S. § 39-22-104 when verified revenue surpluses exist and when reductions comply with voter-approval requirements under Colo. Const. art. X, § 20(3)(a).”

“My administration will clarify that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks cannot be mandated as a condition of licensure, contracting, or insurance eligibility.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports emission goals and clean energy expansion

Weiser supports meeting Colorado's greenhouse gas reduction targets by expanding solar, wind, battery storage, and geothermal projects. He vows to enhance CDPHE air and water quality enforcement, protect public lands against federal sell-offs, and appoint a Chief Resilience Officer for climate adaptation.

• Meet Colorado's emission reduction targets and establish a Geothermal Development Authority.
• Expand solar, wind, battery storage, and residential heat pump adoption.
• Protect electric vehicle purchase incentives and expand charging infrastructure.
• Expand CDPHE resources to monitor air and water quality and enforce standards abandoned by federal agencies.

“Meet Colorado’s emission reduction goals to do our part in fighting climate change”

“Expand CDPHE’s resources to monitor air and water quality and take appropriate enforcement actions.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports regulatory review of energy mandates and clean manufacturing

Marx proposes reviewing and repealing energy and environmental mandates that significantly increase homebuilding costs without clear safety gains. While encouraging clean-tech manufacturing incentives, he opposes mandating ESG scoring systems or restrictive green building rules.

• Review and modify building, environmental, and energy mandates that increase residential construction costs.
• Incentivize clean-tech manufacturing and outdoor recreation without state mandates.
• Prohibit state agencies from penalizing businesses or financial institutions that decline to adopt ESG systems.

“My administration will order a comprehensive regulatory review under C.R.S. § 24-4-103.5 to identify building, environmental, and energy mandates that significantly increase construction costs...”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports litigating against federal overreach and protecting civil rights

Weiser highlights his record of bringing over 60 lawsuits as Attorney General to defend state policies against federal overreach. He vows to protect state voting laws, defend reproductive rights under Amendment 79, protect LGBTQ+ rights, and prevent the federal coercion of local law enforcement for immigration enforcement.

• Stand strong against federal overreach, withholding of state funds, or federal military deployments in cities.
• Defend Colorado's voting laws and reproductive rights under Amendment 79.
• Protect LGBTQ+ civil rights, including access to gender-affirming healthcare.
• Enforce state laws preventing the federal government from coercing local police into conducting immigration enforcement.

“As the Trump administration continues to abuse federal agencies for political retaliation, withhold critical federal dollars to coerce states to adopt their policies, illegally fire critical federal workers, unlawfully punish our state for our voting laws, or send federal troops into American cities, we need a governor who will stand strong against this lawless bullying. I’ve led that fight as your attorney general by filing more than 60 lawsuits and winning...”

“Defend reproductive rights—including Amendment 79 and against any attacks on our laws protecting the right to choose.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports joint federal-state crime task forces while defending TABOR

Marx emphasizes expanding state cooperation with federal law enforcement task forces (DEA, ATF, DHS) to target violent crime and cartels. Simultaneously, he promises to defend state constitutional limits, TABOR voter approval requirements, and free enterprise against ideological administrative mandates.

• Expand cross-jurisdictional participation in federal law enforcement task forces (DEA HIDTA, ATF, DHS).
• Defend TABOR constitutional protections against administrative loopholes.
• Protect freedom of conscience and free enterprise from state or federal ESG mandates.

“My administration will expand cross-jurisdictional law-enforcement partnerships by authorizing increased participation in federal task forces—including DEA HIDTA operations, ATF violent-crime units, and DHS human-trafficking teams—under C.R.S. § 24-33.5-412.”

“This policy protects free enterprise and prevents ideological coercion in economic decision-making.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports Medicaid protection, drug price caps, and youth mental health

Weiser proposes creating a Health Care Stabilization & Innovation Task Force to shield communities from federal healthcare cuts and preserving caps on prescription drugs like insulin. He prioritizes youth mental health through social media platform accountability, in-school mental health professionals, and mentorship.

• Protect Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus funding and preserve price caps on insulin.
• Establish a Health Care Stabilization & Innovation Task Force to navigate federal healthcare changes.
• Promote youth mental health by funding school counselors, statewide mentorship, and holding social media companies accountable.
• Rebuild the state health workforce through training initiatives and ColoradoCorps.

“Ensure patients are treated fairly—stop drug price collusion, preserve cap on lifesaving medications like insulin, and protect families from medical debt collectors.”

“Building on the work I've done as AG, including leading a 35-state lawsuit against Meta for creating an addictive platform that harms our youth, I will sign legislation to clamp down on social media companies that fail to protect kids from illegal activities,”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports expanding 24-hour crisis detox facilities

Marx focuses healthcare proposals on addiction and crisis stabilization infrastructure, proposing regional 24-hour mental health stabilization centers and secure detox facilities. His plan provides direct police drop-off centers and involuntary-hold capacity alongside treatment diversion for non-violent substance use cases.

• Expand regional mental-health stabilization centers and secure detox facilities in every judicial district.
• Provide 24-hour crisis response, involuntary-hold capacity, and direct law-enforcement drop-off centers.
• Integrate fentanyl law enforcement interdiction with treatment diversion for non-violent addiction.

“My administration will expand regional mental-health stabilization centers and secure detox facilities under C.R.S. § 27-60-104, ensuring that each judicial district has access to 24-hour crisis response, involuntary-hold capacity, and direct law-enforcement drop-off centers.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports public school funding and Universal Preschool

Weiser pledges to protect K-12 education spending during budget shortfalls and opposes privatizing public education. He advocates livable wages and housing assistance for teachers, alongside expanding Universal Preschool and launching a Childcare Solutions Fund.

• Protect K-12 education funding as a top priority during state budget reductions.
• Oppose privatizing or profiting off public schools.
• Support teachers with livable wages and down payment assistance.
• Expand Universal Preschool and establish a Childcare Solutions Fund.

“Stand strong for public schools and against privatizing or profiting off of our public schools.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports protecting core education spending during tax cuts

Marx lists education as a core state function that must be protected alongside public safety during phased income tax reductions, while emphasizing workforce training pipelines for young Coloradans.

• Ensure phased income tax reductions never compromise core education spending.
• Align workforce apprenticeship pipelines with high school and vocational education for skilled trades.

“It satisfies the constitutional requirement that government spending grow no faster than inflation and population (Colo. Const. art. X, § 20(7)) and ensures tax relief never compromises public safety, education, or core state functions.”

D Democratic Phil Weiser

Supports defending water rights and stopping buy-and-dry schemes

Weiser advocates defending Colorado's water rights under Interstate Compacts, fully funding the Colorado Water Plan, and stopping 'buy-and-dry' schemes that sell rural agricultural water rights to Front Range developers.

• Protect Colorado's water rights under Interstate Compacts and defend Colorado River interests.
• Fully fund the Colorado Water Plan and promote voluntary conservation, reuse, and storage.
• Stop buy-and-dry schemes that transfer rural water rights for speculator profits.

“Stop buy-and-dry schemes that take water from rural communities for speculators’ profits.”

“Keep standing up for Colorado’s water rights as part of Interstate Compacts.”

R Republican Victor Marx

Supports water security and conservation

Marx highlights water security and conservation as key components of protecting Colorado's natural resources for long-term economic resilience.

• Support water security and conservation initiatives across rural and urban regions.