Colorado Primary Election

Democratic · Incumbent since 2009

Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009, when he was appointed to the seat. Before serving in the Senate, he was Superintendent of Denver Public Schools. He ran briefly for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. He chose not to seek Senate re-election in 2026, instead running for Governor of Colorado.

Democratic · Incumbent since 2021

John Hickenlooper has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2021. He previously served two terms as Governor of Colorado and as mayor of Denver. A geologist and former craft brewery founder, he is known as a pragmatic, business-friendly Democrat who often pursues bipartisan solutions.

Democratic

Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009. He is leaving his Senate seat to run for Governor of Colorado as incumbent Jared Polis is term-limited. Before the Senate, he served as Superintendent of Denver Public Schools. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. He is the clear Democratic frontrunner for governor, leading primary polling by more than 30 points.

Republican

Barbara Kirkmeyer is a Colorado state senator and the leading Republican candidate for governor in 2026 as the race to succeed term-limited Governor Jared Polis. She previously served as a Weld County Commissioner and has a background in agriculture and rural Colorado issues. She has built a conservative profile in the state senate focused on fiscal restraint, public safety, and opposing what she describes as Front Range Democratic overreach into rural Colorado communities.