The Race Right Now
The gap between Barb Kirkmeyer and Victor Marx is thin enough that Tuesday night produced two victory speeches — but no winner. Both candidates walked onto their respective stages and addressed supporters as if the primary were settled, while roughly one in five Colorado Republican votes was still being counted.
Kirkmeyer immediately turned her sights to November, previewing what a general election campaign against Phill Weiser might look like. Marx, by contrast, was combative — warning his backers that powerful forces were aligned against him and signaling he had no intention of conceding without a fight.
Kirkmeyer vs. Marx: Where They Stand
| Barb Kirkmeyer | Victor Marx | |
|---|---|---|
| Vote Share (80% in) | 40.69% | 39.16% |
| Tone Tuesday Night | Forward-looking — called out Weiser directly | Combative — warned of legal challenges ahead |
| Stance on Result | Addressed crowd as nominee | Told supporters 'lawyers are going to get involved' |
| November Opponent | Phill Weiser (D) | Phill Weiser (D) |
I'm pretty sure the lawyers are going to get involved, because they don't want to give up what the establishment has done, but think about this: every aspect has come against us- both sides of the Republican Party, the legacy media, the conservative mediaVictor Marx, GOP primary candidate for Colorado governor
That's the fault line in the Colorado GOP right now: one candidate ready to pivot to November, the other warning that the night may not be over. The margin separating Kirkmeyer and Marx is narrow enough that, depending on how the remaining votes fall, a formal recount request is a real possibility.
Whatever the final count shows, the Republican nominee will face a Democrat who had no such drama on primary night. Phill Weiser cleared his field cleanly — and is already preparing for whoever emerges from the GOP side.
I look forward to debating the future of Colorado, of our state, with Phil Weiser. I'm looking forward to those debatesBarb Kirkmeyer, GOP primary candidate for Colorado governor
How Tuesday Night Unfolded
- Primary Day — Polls close across Colorado
- Tuesday Evening — 80% of GOP vote reported — race too close to call
- Tuesday Evening — Kirkmeyer leads at 40.69%, addresses supporters as nominee
- Tuesday Evening — Marx at 39.16%, warns of legal challenges and establishment opposition
- Tuesday Evening — Democrats declare Phill Weiser their nominee — no drama on that side
- TBD — Remaining 20% of GOP votes counted — recount possible
How Well Do You Know This Race?
Four questions. See how closely you've been following Colorado's 2026 governor primary.
With 80% of the vote counted, who led the Colorado GOP primary for governor?
- Barb Kirkmeyer — Correct. Kirkmeyer held 40.69% to Marx's 39.16% — a gap of roughly 1.5 percentage points with 80% of the vote in.
- Victor Marx — Not quite. Marx trailed at 39.16% — about 1.5 points behind Kirkmeyer, who led with 40.69% when 80% of votes were counted.
- Phill Weiser — Weiser is the Democratic nominee — he ran in a separate primary and won decisively. The close race was entirely on the Republican side.
What did Victor Marx tell his supporters about what comes next?
- He conceded the race to Kirkmeyer — Marx did not concede. He told supporters he believed 'the lawyers are going to get involved' and that every part of the political establishment — both sides — had come against him.
- He expects legal challenges because the establishment doesn't want to give up power — Exactly right. Marx said: 'I'm pretty sure the lawyers are going to get involved, because they don't want to give up what the establishment has done.'
- He called for a unity ticket with Kirkmeyer — No such offer was made. Marx struck a combative tone, framing the night as a fight against establishment forces on both sides of the Republican Party.
What financial attack did Kirkmeyer level at Democrat Phill Weiser from the stage?
- His budget has increased by about 40% since he took office — Correct. Kirkmeyer told her supporters directly: 'Phil, your budget has increased by about 40% since you took office' — previewing what a general election campaign might look like.
- He raised taxes on working Coloradans — That's not what Kirkmeyer said Tuesday. Her specific attack was on Weiser's budget growth — claiming it increased about 40% since he took office.
- He doubled state spending on education — Kirkmeyer's critique was about overall budget growth — she claimed it rose about 40% since Weiser took office — not specifically about education spending.
What is the most likely next step if the margin between Kirkmeyer and Marx holds this tight?
- The race could head to a recount before a nominee is officially declared — Right. With such a narrow margin separating the two candidates, the race could head to a recount before the Republican Party officially names its nominee.
- The Republican Party chair picks the nominee — That's not how it works. The article notes the race could head to a recount given the tight margin — the ballots, not party officials, decide the outcome.
- Both candidates advance to the general election — Only one Republican nominee advances. With the margin this close, a recount is the more likely path to resolving the race before a nominee is officially declared.
Claims from Primary Night — Checked
Kirkmeyer declared herself the Republican nominee Tuesday night.
Verdict: mostly false
Kirkmeyer addressed supporters as though she had won, but no winner was officially declared. With 80% of the vote in and only a 1.5-point margin separating her from Marx, the race remained too close to call.
Both sides of the Republican Party came against Victor Marx.
Verdict: unverified
Marx made this claim from the stage Tuesday night. The article reports his statement but does not independently verify which Republican factions opposed him or to what degree.
Phil Weiser's budget increased by about 40% since he took office.
Verdict: unverified
This is Kirkmeyer's claim, delivered as a campaign attack. The article reports the statement verbatim but does not independently fact-check the budget figure.
Democrats had a clear, decisive result on primary night.
Verdict: true
Phill Weiser was selected as the Democratic nominee without the uncertainty that surrounded the Republican side, where 80% of the vote was in and no winner had been declared.
What happens next in the Colorado GOP primary depends on votes that weren't counted Tuesday night. The 20% of ballots still outstanding could expand Kirkmeyer's lead to a comfortable margin — or close it to the point where a formal recount becomes unavoidable.
Victor Marx's language Tuesday night — invoking lawyers, the establishment, and forces aligned against him from multiple directions — signals he is not planning a quiet exit. That means Colorado Republicans may spend the days ahead in a holding pattern, while Democrats already know exactly who their candidate is and what he plans to say.
What to Watch For
- Final Vote Count: The remaining 20% of Colorado Republican primary votes still need to be tallied. Whether that closes or widens the Kirkmeyer-Marx gap determines everything that follows.
- Potential Recount: With the margin this narrow, a recount request is possible before the Republican Party officially names a nominee for Colorado governor.
- November General Election: Democrat Phill Weiser will face whichever Republican emerges from this primary in the general election for Colorado governor.