Victor Marx, an evangelical ministry founder and former Marine, has clinched the Republican nomination for governor of Colorado after a protracted counting process that concluded this week, NBC News and the Associated Press projected. Marx will face two-term Attorney General Phil Weiser, the Democratic nominee, in the Nov. 2026 general election.
Final tally and margin
Marx finished with roughly 39.9% of the Republican primary vote, narrowly outpacing state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, who received about 39.4%. As of late Thursday, the reported difference stood at approximately 2,516 votes, with Rep. Scott Bottoms trailing in third place.
| Candidate | Approx. share |
|---|---|
| Victor Marx | 39.9% |
| Barb Kirkmeyer | 39.4% |
| Scott Bottoms | (distant third) |
What Marx's nomination means for the fall
Marx’s emergence as the GOP nominee hands Democrats a clearer target in November. Colorado has not elected a Republican governor since 1998, a fact Democrats and some independent analysts cite when assessing the November outlook. Weiser, a two-term state attorney general and former law school dean, won the Democratic primary after defeating U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.
Marx’s campaign has drawn national attention this year. He has described a troubled childhood and said military service and religious work transformed his life. In recent interviews, he made statements about past incidents in which people died that prompted questions about whether he was referring to his military service; in one exchange he responded, “Does it matter?” when asked if he thought he had killed people as an adult.
“Now the real work begins,” Marx wrote on social media after the Associated Press called the race for him.
Kirkmeyer conceded the primary but used the closing moments of her campaign to criticize Marx directly. In a pointed remark during the closing coverage she said, “I still haven’t killed anyone,” underscoring how some of Marx’s comments became a recurring issue in the contest.
Local and statewide implications
Colorado voters will weigh the contrast between Marx and Weiser across issues ranging from public safety and the economy to questions of character and leadership style. For Republican voters, Marx’s nomination reflects a party base willing to back an outsider-style candidate with a religious leadership background. For Democrats and independents, the result sets up a campaign that will test whether that approach can attract the center in a state that has trended Democratic in statewide offices.
- Marx secured the nomination by a margin of about 2,500 votes.
- Marx will face Phil Weiser in November for the governor’s office.
- Colorado has not elected a Republican governor since 1998.
The general election campaign officially begins in earnest for both sides. Republicans will need to consolidate support after a razor-thin primary; Democrats will aim to use historical trends and Weiser’s statewide record to hold the seat. Voters can expect intensified advertising, debates and grassroots outreach in the coming months as both campaigns seek to define the choice ahead of November.
Reporting for this story drew on projections and vote totals published by major outlets and statements posted by the campaigns during the primary count.
