2018 Colorado gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2018 United States gubernatorial elections.

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The 2018 Colorado gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Colorado. Incumbent Democratic governor John Hickenlooper was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term. The primary election was held on June 26.

The major party nominees were Democratic U.S. Representative Jared Polis and Republican State Treasurer Walker Stapleton. The general election took place on November 6, 2018, with Polis winning by 268,000 votes. This was the first Colorado gubernatorial election in which both major party candidates received over one million votes.

Polis's victory marked the fourth straight election in which Colorado elected a Democratic governor and the first time in American electoral history that an openly gay politician was elected governor of a state.

Democratic primary

With Hickenlooper ineligible to run for a third term in office, multiple Democratic politicians vied for the party's nomination for governor. Prior to his resignation in 2015, former lieutenant governor Joseph Garcia was seen as a probable candidate for governor in 2018.

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in the primary

Eliminated at the convention

  • Erik Underwood, former congressional aide, Republican candidate for GA-10 in 2007 and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016

Withdrawn

  • Noel Ginsburg, businessman
  • Ed Perlmutter, U.S. Representative (running for reelection)

Declined

Caucus results

On March 6, 2018, Democrats of precincts across Colorado met and voted how many delegates each candidate who was caucusing on the ballot would get. As of March 11, 2018 at 7:30 p.m., 96.83% of precincts had reported and added up to the below results.

Endorsements

Jared Polis

Organizations

  • Colorado Professional Firefighters (CPFF)
  • Humane Society
  • IBEW Colorado – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  • National Cannabis Industry Association
  • National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
  • Pipefitters Local 208
  • Sierra Club
  • Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
  • Victory Fund

Federal officials

State Senators

State Representatives

County Commissioners

Mayors

City Councilors

Others

Mike Johnston

Federal officials

State officials

Local officials

  • Gabrielle Aragon, former San Luis Council member
  • Albus Brooks, Denver City Council President
  • Lisa Flores, Denver Public School Board of Education member
  • Tracy Johnson, Academy District 20 Board of Education member
  • Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County Commissioner
  • Theresa Peña, formerDenver Public Schools Board of Education member
  • Christina Rinderle, former Durango Mayor
  • Wellington Webb, former Mayor of Denver

Organizations

  • Students for Education Reform

Newspapers

Individuals

Cary Kennedy

Federal officials

State officials

State legislators

Local officials

Labor unions

Organizations

Donna Lynne

State legislators

  • Janet Buckner, State Representative
  • Jean Dubofsky, former state Supreme Court Justice
  • JoAnn Ginal, State Representative
  • Lucia Guzman, State Senator

Local officials

  • Leanna Clark, vice chancellor for the University of Colorado Denver
  • Kathy Maloney Green, Gov. John Hickenlooper’s former spokeswoman
  • Jacque Montgomery, Gov. John Hickenlooper’s spokeswoman
  • Marguerite Salazar, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies executive director
  • Tamra Ward, Denver Zoo chief external relations officer
Ed Perlmutter (withdrawn)

Polling

Results

Results by county:
  Polis
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Kennedy
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  Johnston
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in the primary

Eliminated at the convention

Withdrawn

Declined

Caucus results

Based on information shared by some key counties, as well as a recent survey, the following are believed to be results of the Republican Caucus from key counties.

Pueblo County

Douglas County

Endorsements

George Brauchler (withdrawn)

Individuals

Tom Tancredo (withdrawn)

Political Commentators

Polling

Hypothetical polling

Results

Results by county:
  Stapleton
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Mitchell
  •   40–50%

Third party and independent candidates

Candidates

Declared

  • Paul Noel Fiorino (Independent), perennial candidate
  • Marcus Giavanni (Independent), radio host
  • Bill Hammons (Unity Party of America), insurance agent, chairman and founder of the Unity Party of America, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and 2016
  • Scott Helker (Libertarian)

General election

Debates

Predictions

Notes

Endorsements

Jared Polis (D)

Organizations

  • Colorado Professional Firefighters (CPFF)
  • Humane Society
  • IBEW Colorado, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  • National Cannabis Industry Association
  • National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
  • Pipefitters Local 208
  • Sierra Club
  • Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
  • Victory Fund

Federal officials

State officials

State Senators

State Representatives

County Commissioners

Mayors

City Councilors

Others

Walker Stapleton (R)

Presidents of the United States

Vice Presidents of the United States

Federal officials

State officials

State Senators

State Representatives

Local officials

Mayors

District attorneys

  • Brett Barkey (14th Judicial District)
  • Jim Bullock (16th Judicial District)
  • Jeff Cheney (9th Judicial District)
  • Molly Chilson (11th Judicial District)
  • Brittny Lewton (13th Judicial District)
  • Dan May (4th Judicial District)
  • Cliff Riedel (8th Judicial District)
  • Michael J. Rourke (19th Judicial District)
  • Dan Rubinstein (21st Judicial District)
  • Josh Vogel (15th Judicial District)
  • Pete Weir (1st Judicial District)

Sheriffs

Others

  • Doug Robinson, businessman
  • Nick Rogers, president of the Denver Police Protective Association

Organizations

Newspapers

Polling

Hypothetical polling

with Cary Kennedy

with Tom Tancredo

Results


Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Polis won 4 of 7 congressional districts.

References

Official campaign websites

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