COLORADO
     Nov. 6, 2018 Governor

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+Jared Polis/Dianne Primavera (D)
1,348,888
53.42%
Walker Stapleton/Lang Silas (R)
1,080,801
42.80%
Scott Helker/Michele Poague (L)
69,519
2.75%
Bill Hammons/Eric Bodenstab (Uni.) 25,854
1.02%

2,525,062

Registered Voters: 3,911,179.  Ballots Cast: 2,583,580. 
Plurality 268,087 votes (10.62 percentage points).

  CO Secretary of State -Elections




Notes:
Two-term Gov. John Hickenlooper (D)
was term limited.  U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D), 43, defeated State Treasurer Walker Stapleton (R), 44 and two other candidates. 

In the June 26 primaries, on the Democratic side Polis
(44.4%) defeated former state treasurer Cary Kennedy (24.7%), former state senator Mike Johnston (23.6%) and Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne (7.3%), while on the Republican side Stapleton (47.7%) defeated businessman and former state Rep. Victor Mitchell (30.1%), former Parker Mayor Greg Lopez (13.2%) and former investment banker Doug Robinson (9.0%).

On July 2 Polis announced his selection of former state Rep. Dianne Primavera as his running mate, while Stapleton announced state Rep. Lang Sias as his running mate on July 11.

In the general election, Stapleton was consistently seen to be trailing Polis, whom he described as "the most radical, extreme candidate for governor in Colorado's history." 

The two major candidates participated in eight forums and debates around the state during the month of October:
Oct. 5 - Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (Hyatt Regency in Denver)
Oct. 5 - CBS4/KOA/CPT12/Colorado Sun (CBS4 studios in Denver) 
Oct. 6 - RMPBS [Rural Colorado] (Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction)
Oct. 8 - Pueblo Chieftain (CSU Pueblo)
Oct. 13 - Colorado Politics/Gazette/KOAA News 5 ["The State Debate"] (Penrose House in Colorado Springs)
Oct. 17 - 9News (Colorado State University in Fort Collins)
Oct. 19 - Pro 15 fall conference (The Barn.near Greeley)
Oct. 23 - The Denver Post/KMGH (University of Denver)


Polis, who earned as much as $400 million as a tech entrepreneur before coming to Congress, spent more than $20 million of his own money on his campaign.  According to the Colorado Secretary of State, the Polis campaign tallied a total of $23.2 million in contributions (>) compared to $3.9 million for the Stapleton campaign (>).  Outside groups weighed in as well.

Polis became the first openly gay man elected governor.  Additionally, Democrats retained control of the state House and won control of the state Senate, putting them in a solid governing position.



Campaign Managers:
Jared Polis:  Jenn Ridder

(announced July 2017)  Mountain West regional political director for the DCCC in the 2016 cycle.  Deputy campaign manager on Sen. Mark Udall’s unsuccessful 2014 re-election bid.  Deputy political director on President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign in Colorado.  Climate reality associate at The Climate Reality Project.  Worked on Obama's 2008 campaign in Colorado.  Graduate of Middlebury College, 2010.  Colorado native.

Walker Stapleton:  Michael Fortney
Founding partner (March 2013) at Clear Creek Strategies in Denver. 
Communications director in the Colorado State Treasurer's Office, Feb. 2011-Feb. 2014; campaign manager and senior consultant on Stapleton's 2010 and 2014 campaigns for state Treasurer.  Campaign manager on Scott Tipton for Congress in 2012 and continues as his senior political consultant.  Regional political manager at Associated Builders and Contractors, April 2008-Jan. 2010.  Additionally he served on U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (TX)’s congressional staff, managed several campaigns in Texas and managed a successful Kentucky Supreme Court campaign.  B.S. in political science from Lamar University.  Kentucky native.


See also:
Ben Botkin.  "Outside groups help fill imbalance in money race for Colorado governor."  The Denver Post, Sept. 24, 2018.

David Sirota and Chase Woodruff.  "Wall Street Pumping Cash to Walker Stapleton Through Anti-Corruption Loophole."  Westword, Oct. 4, 2018.






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