2018 Colorado gubernatorial election

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.

Nominated

 * Jared Polis, U.S. Representative

Eliminated in the primary

 * Mike Johnston, former state senator
 * Cary Kennedy, former Colorado State Treasurer and former CFO and Deputy Mayor of Denver
 * Donna Lynne, Lieutenant Governor of Colorado

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Withdrawn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

 * Joseph Garcia, former lieutenant governor
 * Steve Lebsock, State Representative (was running for State Treasurer before switching to the Republican Party, thus disqualifying him from the Democratic Primary)
 * Michael Merrifield, State Senator
 * Joe Neguse, former executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and nominee for secretary of state in 2014 (running for CO-02)
 * Joe Salazar, State Representative (running for Attorney General)
 * Ken Salazar, former U.S. Senator and former United States Secretary of the Interior

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.


 * Cary Kennedy (11,700; 49.2%)
 * Jared Polis (7,784; 32.7%)
 * Mike Johnston (2,086; 8.8%)
 * Noel Ginsburg (433; 1.8%), dropped out of race
 * Erik Underwood (100; 0.4%)
 * Uncommitted (1,668; 7%)

Results
[[File:2018 Colorado gubernatorial Democratic primary.svg|thumb|Results by county: {{legend|#7996e2|Polis}}

{{legend|#BDD3FF|30–40%}}

{{legend|#a5b0ff|40–50%}}

{{legend|#7996e2|50–60%}}

{{legend|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend|#51c2c2|Kennedy}}

{{legend|#ACF2F2|30–40%}}

{{legend|#7ddddd|40–50%}} {{legend|#d75d5d|Johnston}}

{{legend|#ffc8cd|30–40%}}

{{legend|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} ]]

Nominated

 * Walker Stapleton, Colorado State Treasurer

Eliminated in the primary

 * Greg Lopez, former mayor of Parker
 * Victor Mitchell, former state representative
 * Doug Robinson, businessman

Eliminated at the convention

 * Steve Barlock, former Trump campaigner, Colorado Republican National Alternate Delegate and Elector
 * Cynthia Coffman, Colorado Attorney General
 * Barry Farah, businessman
 * Lew Gaiter, Larimer County Commissioner

Withdrawn

 * George Brauchler, District Attorney for Colorado's 18th Judicial District (running for attorney general)
 * Jim Rundberg, businessman
 * JoAnne Silva, retired banker
 * Tom Tancredo, former U.S. Representative, candidate for governor in 2014, Constitution Party nominee for governor in 2010, and candidate for President of the United States in 2008

Declined

 * John Elway, general manager of the Denver Broncos and retired NFL player
 * Owen Hill, state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (running for CO-05)
 * Steve House, Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party and candidate for governor in 2014
 * Kent Thiry, Chairman and CEO of DaVita Inc.
 * Brian Watson, businessman and candidate for the State House in 2012 (running for State Treasurer)

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
 * Steve Barlock – 3.14%
 * Cynthia Coffman – 7.55%
 * Greg Lopez – 16.35%
 * Victor Mitchell – 23.90%
 * Doug Robinson – 3.15%
 * Walker Stapleton – 45.91%

Douglas County
 * Steve Barlock – 32.5%
 * Cynthia Coffman – 4.6%
 * Lew Gaiter III – 2.2%
 * Greg Lopez – 18.8%
 * Victor Mitchell – 7.7%
 * Doug Robinson – 2.2%
 * Walker Stapleton – 23.2%
 * Tom Tancredo (dropped out of the race) – 1.6%
 * Uncommitted – 7.2%

Results
[[File:2018 Colorado gubernatorial Republican primary.svg|thumb|Results by county: {{legend|#e27f7f|Stapleton}}

{{legend|#ffc8cd|30–40%}}

{{legend|#ffb2b2|40–50%}}

{{legend|#e27f7f|50–60%}}

{{legend|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend|#ff9a50|Mitchell}}

{{legend|#ffb380|40–50%}} ]]

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)

Predictions

 * Notes

Polling

 * with Cary Kennedy


 * with Tom Tancredo

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Conejos (largest town: Manassa)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Chaffee (largest city: Salida)
 * Garfield (largest municipality: Glenwood Springs)

By congressional district
Polis won 4 of 7 congressional districts.