Phil Weiser defeated Michael Bennet in the Democratic primary for governor of Colorado on June 30. Incumbent Jared Polis (D) was term-limited.
Bennet, a U.S. senator from Colorado, and Weiser, the state's attorney general, made resisting President Donald Trump (R) and affordability central to their campaigns. On resisting Trump, both accused the other of not doing enough. Weiser criticized Bennet for supporting some of Trump's cabinet nominees, saying, "I’m not afraid to do the right thing when there are political consequences. It is important that leaders lead with their values and fight for what is right." Bennet said Weiser's resistance of the Trump administration was simply "joining someone else’s lawsuit that’s been filed against Donald Trump and saying that 'I’m fighting, fighting, fighting Donald Trump.'"
Weiser claimed he was the candidate of Colorado, while Bennet was the candidate of Washington: "One of us is working at the state level, knows our state really well. And the other is in Washington, with 17 years of experience, where we should keep him, serving us where he can best use this avenue for Colorado." Bennet said, "I've spent more time in every corner of the state than I think any elected official in generations. And I hope to be able to bring that set of experiences, which I think is every bit as valuable–maybe even more valuable–than the experience that I've had on the Senate floor."
