GOP candidates for governor clash in first televised debate
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rep. Scott Bottoms, left, and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, right. Photos: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post and AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Two Republican candidates for governor outlined vastly different visions for Colorado, with one touting bipartisanship and the other pledging to be "uncompromising."
State of play: The remarks from state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms came Thursday during the campaign's first televised debate and reinforced the stakes in the race.
- Much of the attention focused on Bottoms, a far-right pastor from Colorado Springs who repeated debunked claims about election security, pedophilia, the state budget and Venezuelan gangs in Colorado.
- Bottoms pledged to "DOGE" the state government and cut up to $10 billion, much of it in alleged fraud and corruption, a figure he could not substantiate.
- He also endorsed the deployment of the Colorado National Guard and federal troops to crack down on illegal immigration.
What he's saying: "I do not shy away from the social issues. I don't shy away from the scary kind of issues. And I believe that's leadership," Bottoms said during the debate, hosted by Denver 7, Colorado Public Radio and the Denver Post.
The other side: Kirkmeyer, who lives in Weld County, focused on her legislative record as a state budget writer, a role she said allowed her to prioritize education spending and preserve safety-net programs for Colorado's most vulnerable populations despite making cuts to resolve a $1.5 billion budget shortfall.
- She dismissed Bottoms' call for a state DOGE office. "I would just say that pretty much everything Rep. Bottoms said is inaccurate," she quipped at one point.
- Kirkmeyer pledged to increase spending on roads, reduce regulations that burden businesses and work more closely with law enforcement.
What she's saying: "I'm the better candidate because I have the most experience and I'm qualified, and I know how to get the job done," she said.
The intrigue: The third Republican candidate for governor, Victor Marx, refused to participate in the debate. Instead, he hosted a live YouTube Q&A to "reach more people," he said.
- The first-time candidate and former Marine leads the field in fundraising and suggested his rivals should drop out because they can't win.
- He added he doesn't need to participate in debates because a recent poll showed him in the lead of the Republican primary.
What he's saying: "Why are you still in this?" he asked, before saying, "They don't want the outsider to win, but Coloradans do."
What's next: The GOP primary is June 30.