2026 Primary Election: Candidates for Governor

Colorado has a rich history of defending LGBTQ+ rights and being a haven for people to love and be who they choose. As Governor, Michael will continue to build on our legacy by supporting state-level policy to protect and expand non-discrimination protections, working with the community on ways to make the state more inclusive, and working with the Attorney General to bring suit against the Trump Administration for discriminatory or unconstitutional interpretations of the law.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

As Governor, I will expect and demand that all government agencies and state employees treat members of the public with the respect, sensitivity, and inclusivity that everyone deserves. To do that, I will ensure that all state agencies and services have proper procedures and training in place to ensure that every Coloradan is treated with dignity and respect, and has proper training on how to do so. This includes ensuring that state employees receive training focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which I have long advocated is essential in high-functioning organizations.

I will also ensure that the Colorado Civil Rights Division has appropriate resources and systems to effectively enforce the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, so that any Coloradan who experiences discrimination when seeking covered services can report such instances for investigation and remediation.

Additionally, I will continue to support the passage and enforcement of state laws and policies that help LGBTQ+ individuals live as their true authentic selves, such as Colorado’s simplified processes for legal name changes and gender marker corrections on identity documents and birth certificates.

Finally, I will support employee affinity groups, in state agencies and across state government, which can promote a greater sense of belonging within institutions and can make the overall environment more inclusive, which we have embraced at the Attorney General’s Office. And I will appoint state agency leaders with a diverse array of life experiences and backgrounds, who honor and respect the principle that all people be allowed to live as their best authentic selves.

Michael believes that all Coloradans should feel safe and should be able to access the health care and mental health care they need. Gender-affirming care is legally protected and recognized as a medically necessary service in Colorado. Michael is proud that Colorado was the first state to explicitly include gender-affirming care services in its health insurance plan. As Governor, he will continue to support the policies we have in place, including appointing leaders who share and defend those same values. He will also stand up against Trump Administration efforts to limit gender affirming care in a way that is inconsistent with Colorado law.

Antonio advocates for a healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of all Coloradans. His key priorities include:

Championing Public Health and Rural Healthcare initiatives to ensure access to care, no matter where you live.

Protecting reproductive rights and expanding access to affordable healthcare services.

Addressing disparities in maternal mortality rates to ensure better health outcomes for mothers and their babies.

Stabilizing Medicaid and Medicare funding which affects all Colorado rural and urban communities whether we’re using it as our primary insurance or not.

I am proud of Colorado’s protections for gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare and, as Governor, I will continue to protect patients, families, and providers, as I have done as AG.

As AG, I:

- Strongly supported passage of the Reproductive Health Equity Act and Amendment 79

- Defended our reproductive rights laws in court when opponents tried to overturn them time and again. Following the Dobbs decision, Colorado’s protections for reproductive care are more important than ever.

- Fought back and threatened to go to court when anti-choice, out-of-state advocates tried to get the City of Pueblo to ban abortion facilities.

- Defended access to gender-affirming care amidst federal attacks, including making Colorado one of the first states to challenge their attempts to limit this care.

- Brought a lawsuit to block an unlawful declaration by HHS that threatens providers and attempts to restrict access to gender-affirming care for young people.

- Joined a coalition of attorneys general to oppose the Trump Administration’s attempt to access confidential medical records related to gender-affirming care at Boston Children’s Hospital.

As Governor, I will always fight to protect access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare. That includes:

- fending off attacks by the Trump Administration to defund Colorado or cut off Medicaid to pressure Colorado hospitals to stop offering gender-affirming care;

- ensuring state actors comply with Colorado’s protections for this critical care;

- supporting any and all legislation brought forward to ensure continued access to reproductive care and gender-affirming care;

- protecting Medicaid reimbursability for such critical care;

appointing leaders to critical health and human services state agencies like HCPF, CDPHE, and DHS that will defend access to reproductive care and gender-affirming care; and

- standing up and loudly calling out any and all efforts to demonize this care and the patients who rely on it

Michael believes that every Coloradan should have the freedom to live openly, safely, and with dignity. As Governor, he will enforce a zero-tolerance policy prohibiting discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation by state officials and offices. He will also make his Constituent Services Team available to anyone who feels they have been treated in a way that isn’t in adherence with that policy.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

As Governor Antonio will fight to affirm accessibility for Colorado's LGBTQ+ community to include opposing any federal attempts to intervene in Colorado.

As Governor, I will expect and demand that all government agencies and state employees treat members of the public with the respect, sensitivity, and inclusivity that everyone deserves. To do that, I will ensure that all state agencies and services have proper procedures and training in place to ensure that every Coloradan is treated with dignity and respect, and has proper training on how to do so. This includes ensuring that state employees receive training focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, which I have long advocated is essential in high-functioning organizations.

I will also ensure that the Colorado Civil Rights Division has appropriate resources and systems to effectively enforce the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, so that any Coloradan who experiences discrimination when seeking covered services can report such instances for investigation and remediation.

Additionally, I will continue to support the passage and enforcement of state laws and policies that help LGBTQ+ individuals live as their true authentic selves, such as Colorado’s simplified processes for legal name changes and gender marker corrections on identity documents and birth certificates.

Finally, I will support employee affinity groups, in state agencies and across state government, which can promote a greater sense of belonging within institutions and can make the overall environment more inclusive, which we have embraced at the Attorney General’s Office. And I will appoint state agency leaders with a diverse array of life experiences and backgrounds, who honor and respect the principle that all people be allowed to live as their best authentic selves.

Colorado families are being squeezed from every direction. Housing is out of reach, childcare now costs what college used to, and the cost of health care is a guessing game where no one wins. Even basics like getting to work and heating homes cost too much. Michael understands LGBTQ+, people of color, and immigrants can be especially vulnerable to these challenges.

As Governor, Michael will invite the LGBTQ+ community to work with him to build and implement a comprehensive approach to creating economic stability in Colorado, including:

- Opening up state funding to preserve and rehabilitate naturally occurring affordable housing,

- Prioritizing access to affordable health care and making sure that everyone who qualifies for Medicaid and CHP+ has access,

- Protecting funding for essential lifelines like food and childcare assistance, and

- Standing up for the rights of all people in Colorado.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

As Governor Antonio will integrate an intersectional approach that reflects the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people at these intersections.

As AG, I have developed a deep understanding of how certain communities are disproportionately impacted by challenges facing the state, including housing instability and income disparity, and how these challenges and identities are interrelated. A chief way I did this was by listening to LGBTQ+ leaders, partners, and stakeholder organizations for their guidance on their community’s needs and how best to support them.

At our office’s Teaming Up for Youth Conference earlier this year, I emphasized how we are seeing deep inequities in the youth mental health crisis and who has access to care. I discussed how LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience mental health challenges and less likely to receive the support they need, and how these disparities are even greater for groups such as Black and African American LGBTQ+ youth. We’ve also awarded millions in grants to nonprofits that provide youth mental health services, including The Center on Colfax and The PLACE in Colorado Springs to support LGBTQ+ youth.

Understanding how issues overlap with different identities and communities is essential. This mindset will be core to my approach as Governor as I develop policies. To ensure this approach is integrated into my administration, we will reference and rely on high-quality data that captures these nuances, and we will also engage in dialogue with impacted communities and stakeholders before implementing policies. Community engagement and a regular dialogue with LGBTQ+ organizations has been essential to my approach as AG, and I will continue to do that as Governor. I will ensure that our state agencies and administration leaders have a diverse array of experiences and backgrounds to ensure that the state can benefit from their unique perspectives as we develop policy solutions, and that LGBTQ+ leaders always have a seat at the table.

As Governor, Michael will work with local law enforcement and the attorney general’s office to uphold Colorado law and protect all Coloradans from being forced to share their private data with states and the federal government unless they are legally required to do so.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

Antonio will work with State Agencies and Local municipalities to ensure Colorado is correctly represented as an LGBTQ+ favorable State to the Federal Government.

As Attorney General, I strongly support state laws that protect the personal information of Coloradans held by the government and prohibit its use for immigration enforcement and similar purposes.

As Governor, I will demand and expect that state agencies and local governments comply with these laws, including by remaining in regular communication with state and local leaders and ensuring that proper accountability and compliance systems are in place for the stewardship of Coloradans’ data.

I will not comply with and will always resist data requests by the federal government or other parties that violate Colorado law, and I will challenge any such unlawful requests in court as I have done as Attorney General. For example, I joined a coalition of states in a lawsuit to block mass transfer of Medicaid enrollee data to ICE, emphasizing that this data should be shared only in narrow circumstances that benefit public health and the integrity of the Medicaid program, and that there is no reason to share this sensitive data with immigration or law enforcement agencies.

These protections are critical to protect Coloradans’ sensitive personal information, build public trust, and ensure that no one is deterred from or fears seeking important resources and services from state and local governments. They also ensure that Colorado’s resources are dedicated to state and local matters, and that they may not be commandeered by the federal government for purposes like immigration enforcement and targeting those who seek reproductive healthcare.

As he has done throughout his time serving as Colorado’s Senator, Michael will maintain an open door to Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community and will welcome their feedback on nominees, policy, and approach. When legislation is working its way through the legislature involving LGBTQ+ issues, Michael will also proactively reach out to local organizations that deliver vital services to the community to gain an understanding of how the legislation will directly impact them.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

Antonio is a long time LGBTQ+ advocate and will continue to engage to address budget priorities that protect the community and improve services made available by the State.

As AG, I have developed close relationships with LGBTQ+ communities and organizations across the state, and I will continue to prioritize and foster those relationships as Governor.

Community engagement has always been essential to my approach as AG, and I regularly travel across all 64 counties in the state to ensure that I am working for and hearing from all Coloradans—­­­­­­­not just those on the front range.­­ As I have done as AG, I will always consult with and hear from impacted communities and stakeholders as part of developing policies for the state. I will also ensure that state boards and commissions hold meetings and hear public input beyond the Denver metro area, in regions throughout the state so that they are accessible to all communities and not just those who live within a short drive of the State Capitol.

As Governor, I will regularly interact with, consult with, and actively seek policy guidance from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and leaders. This includes regularly scheduled check-ins, ongoing dialogues, and always being responsive when LGBTQ+ organizations like RMEQ contact me, my staff, and my Administration. I will be as personally available and ready to dialogue as I have been as AG. I will seek guidance from and regularly consult with groups like RMEQ and other LGBTQ+ advocates on board and commission appointments and identify other ways that LGBTQ+ Coloradans can always have representation and a voice in state government decisions.

Finally, I will collaborate directly with community partners, just as I have as AG. In 2019, after seeing an increase in hate crimes, I joined with community partners and law enforcement organizations to form a public/private partnership to train law enforcement, improve reporting, and provide resources to frequently targeted groups.

Many of our biggest challenges require more than good ideas, they require funding to make them happen. As Governor, Michael will work with Coloradans across the state to, once and for all, reform TABOR and address Colorado’s competing and conflicting constitutional budget constraints that have forced us to run a government with one hand tied behind our backs, and that have made it nearly impossible for our state to invest strategically in our future.

Antonio is dedicated to ensuring that Colorado is a State of opportunity for everyone. His vision includes specific plans to support unserved and underserved communities, including minorities, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. He believes that embracing diversity is essential for the state's strength and prosperity.

Antonio's economic plan is focused on improving affordability for all Coloradans. His initiatives aim to promote Work, Workers, Wages, and Wealth through key actions:

Boost the economy with new housing and affordable living initiatives.

Increase wages and create wealth for families by raising the minimum wage.

Repeal TABOR to give Colorado the services and support it needs.

I believe many provisions of TABOR have knotted our state budget, and prevented investments during good fiscal years while forcing devastating cuts in leaner years. That’s unacceptable and not how state government should work to support people.

To address our budget challenges, I will:

- Reform TABOR. I will lead and convene a bottom-up dialogue on the most consequential and harmful parts of TABOR with the intent on bringing forth a reform measure, including the spending cap that prevents investments in good years and forces cuts in bad years. By engaging voters, we can identify the best possible changes for our future and build support for what the voters are most likely to accept. Unlike top-down approaches, this strategy will better position us for success at the ballot box.

- Identify and Remove Tax Expenditures That Strangle Our Ability to Support Health and Education. The more our budget goes to benefit special interests through tax credits and deductions—often put in place not for sound budgetary policy, but based on lobbying at the Capitol—the more it removes critical dollars for core functions like supporting schools and healthcare. I’ll go line-by-line through our budget to find what expenditures aren’t filling critical priorities, so we can get more dollars to our most pressing needs.

- Ensuring Government Operates Efficiently. I will ensure fiscal responsibility to get the best value for every taxpayer dollar, including by updating and streamlining procurement processes that leverage competitive bidding. I will direct state agencies to identify under-utilized programs and services and programs that are not delivering results. With the charge to repurpose existing resources, a Program Evaluation and Responsiveness Team in the Governor’s Office will review state programs, offices, and services for effectiveness. We will drive for smarter investments of taxpayer dollars by repurposing funds to Coloradans’ most pressing needs.