Overview
- State Sen. Mark Baisley filed Monday to leave the Republican governor’s primary and will challenge Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper.
- He announced the move on the Free State Colorado podcast, saying he feels more suited to serve in the U.S. Senate.
- Baisley must restart fundraising as national Republicans signal they are prioritizing other Senate battlegrounds, while Hickenlooper’s campaign labels him too extreme.
- Former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez left the Republican Party to continue his gubernatorial run as an unaffiliated candidate, which lowers his ballot threshold to 1,000 signatures per congressional district.
- The Republican field for governor remains crowded, and Democrats Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser are vying to replace term-limited Gov. Jared Polis.