2026 election showcases Colorado's geographic divide
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The statewide ballot has a geographic fault line: All five Democratic candidates live in the Denver area, while most of their Republican rivals call southern Colorado home.
Why it matters: Whoever gets elected sets the agenda — and how they prioritize addressing the state's challenges varies by geography.
State of play: The Democratic nominees for U.S. Senate, governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer call the Denver metro home.
- U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, who's seeking reelection, and gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser are both from Denver.
- Attorney general candidate Jena Griswold lives in Louisville, secretary of state candidate Amanda Gonzalez lives in Arvada and Jeff Bridges, the treasurer nominee, is from Greenwood Village.
This is the first midterm since 2006 wherein all Democratic statewide candidates came from the Denver area.
The other side: On the Republican end, Victor Marx, a candidate for governor, and Michael Allen, the attorney general nominee, are from El Paso County. U.S. Senate contender Mark Baisley lives next door in rural Teller County.
- Treasurer hopeful Kevin Grantham is farther south in Cañon City.
- James Wiley, a secretary of state candidate, is the exception. He lists his home as Littleton, just outside Denver.
Between the lines: In the state Legislature, the House and Senate could be represented by Denver lawmakers, too. The chambers will meet post-election to pick their leaders.
What they're saying: "There is a perception out there that Gov. Polis and these Democratic majorities only care about the Denver-Boulder axis ... and that's at the expense of the rest of the state," Dick Wadhams, a Pueblo native and former state GOP chair, told us.
Zoom in: The Democratic ticket's Denver hub became an issue in the governor's race this year when Marx highlighted the rural-urban divide and the "political leaders who treat Colorado like two separate states."
Weiser acknowledges rural residents too often feel overlooked.
- To blunt concerns, he's proposing to hire a cabinet-level rural affairs director and task state boards and commissions with holding meetings outside metro Denver.
What we're watching: The question isn't simply where candidates reside. It's whether their priorities — and the people they bring into government — reach beyond their home turf.