Barbara Kirkmeyer launches bid for Colorado governor

State of play: Kirkmeyer filed paperwork Monday and will host a launch event Tuesday evening in Fort Lupton.

• In the GOP primary, she faces at least 15 other candidates, including two other lawmakers, Rep. Scott Bottoms of Colorado Springs and Sen. Mark Baisley of Woodland Park.

What she's saying: "That is why I am running for governor: to deliver results that improve people's lives, and to ensure Colorado's best days are ahead of us," Kirkmeyer said in a statement.

Zoom in: Kirkmeyer is a veteran politico. She served as a cabinet member in Colorado Gov. Bill Owens' administration and two decades as a Weld County commissioner before entering the state Legislature.

• At the Capitol, she is a member of the powerful legislative budget committee, putting her in a position to act as a constant antagonist to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who is term-limited.
• She unsuccessfully ran twice for Congress, most recently in 2022, when she lost a contest for the 8th District north of Denver.

The fine print: Colorado last elected a Republican as governor in 2002, when Owens secured a second term.

Zoom out: Most attention in the governor's race will focus on the high-profile Democratic contest between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser.

• Both candidates entered the race earlier this year and hold an advantage with fundraising sums that are expected to dwarf Republican rivals.