Two high-profile Democratic candidates for Colorado governor, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, will meet Thursday evening for a one-hour televised debate. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Denver7, KOAA in Colorado Springs, and statewide on Colorado Public Radio. With the June 30 primary closing in, the face-off is one of the last big chances for voters to watch the two share a stage for a full hour.
Denver7 says Shannon Ogden will host, with questions coming from moderators Colette Bordelon of Denver7, Ryan Warner of Colorado Public Radio, and The Denver Post’s Nick Coltrain. A small live studio audience will be in the room. According to Denver7, the debate will replace the station’s regular 6 p.m. newscast and will also air on KOAA in Colorado Springs. Organizers say it is the first of two debates they are co-hosting this spring, with a Republican forum set for May 14.
Bennet has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009, according to his Senate biography, while Weiser has served as Colorado’s attorney general since 2019, per the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. Both are seeking the Democratic nomination in advance of the June 30 primary, as listed on the Colorado Secretary of State’s 2026 election calendar. The matchup puts Bennet’s national profile and outside fundraising muscle up against Weiser’s statewide record and homegrown organizing network.
Money and momentum
Year-end filings show the Democratic race has already turned into a two-way cash fight. Weiser’s campaign and a committee backing him raised roughly $5.1 million combined, as per Hoodline, while Bennet’s campaign and the outside group Rocky Mountain Way controlled about $7 million between them. Axios also reported that a late-quarter contribution from Michael Bloomberg helped boost Bennet’s super PAC, underscoring how much outside spending is shaping the primary.
Republican debate next week
The same media partners plan a separate Republican debate at 6 p.m. on May 14, with State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer and State Rep. Scott Bottoms confirmed to participate and Victor Marx declining. Denver7 is collecting viewer questions ahead of that forum as well.
How to watch
The Democratic debate will be broadcast live on Denver7 and KOAA, streamed statewide via Colorado Public Radio, and will also be available through The Denver Post, organizers say. Viewers tuning in can expect a focused hour likely to sharpen contrasts on housing, the economy, and how the next governor might respond to national political pressures as the June primary approaches.
