Two of Colorado’s three Republican candidates for governor will meet on live TV Friday night, but the race’s front-runner will be noticeably absent.
CBS Colorado is hosting a Republican gubernatorial debate as the June 30 primary looms, with state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms set to take the stage. Victor Marx, who is leading the field, declined to participate in the station’s forum.
According to CBS Colorado, the "Voters Decide" GOP governor primary debate is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MDT and will be moderated by CBS political reporter Shaun Boyd. The June 5 post lists Kirkmeyer and Bottoms as the candidates who accepted the invitation and notes that Marx turned it down.
Earlier showdown included all three
This time is a contrast with the candidates’ previous outing. On June 2, all three Republicans — Marx, Kirkmeyer and Bottoms — shared a stage at the University of Denver, trading sharp shots in a primary debate that quickly turned heated.
Colorado Politics reported that the hour-long event featured unusually contentious moments and drew attention across the state.
Rifts on display
The bad blood from that night has not faded. Both Kirkmeyer and Bottoms have publicly said they would not support Marx even if he wins the GOP nomination.
Colorado Public Radio quoted Kirkmeyer saying, "He makes up these tall tales, these tall stories, and I just don't believe them," while Bottoms called Marx a "fraud" and attacked his claims during the earlier debate.
Marx’s approach
Skipping this TV debate fits a broader pattern for Marx. He has at times opted out of traditional town halls and televised forums in favor of livestreams and direct online outreach to his supporters.
Axios reported that Marx leads the field in fundraising and has relied on polls and his online audience to defend his decisions to pass on some television debates.
How to watch and what’s at stake
The debate will stream on CBS Colorado, and the state’s official election calendar confirms that the primary is scheduled for June 30, 2026.
The Colorado Secretary of State notes that ballots will be mailed to registered voters in the coming days, so many Coloradans will be filling them out with Friday’s debate fresh in mind.
With Marx off the CBS stage, Kirkmeyer and Bottoms get an uncluttered shot at unaffiliated and moderate Republican voters who could decide the mail-ballot primary. With less than four weeks until June 30, the forum is poised to matter most for voters still on the fence and for how campaigns shape their final advertising and turnout pushes across the state.
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