First Colorado GOP Gubernatorial Debate Guaranteed to Be Far-Right Race to the Bottom

Tonight, 6 of Colorado’s GOP candidates for governor will take to a crowded debate stage to duke it out to prove their conservative bonafides. No matter what’s said on stage, it’s sure to be a messy night, with a field full of anti-vaxxers, far-right extremists, and conspiracy theorists.

Among the (many) candidates on stage is former Parker Mayor and failed candidate for the Republican nomination for Senate and governor, Greg Lopez. Other candidates include Danielle Neuschwanger, whose campaign website encourages people to file criminal complaints against state agencies enforcing COVID guidelines.

This traditionally notable election year forum gives the field of candidates a prime opportunity to edge out Heidi Ganahl. Her absence means she won’t be able to prove she has what it takes to win the Republican nomination, defend her far-right record, or give answers to any of the critical questions she’s been avoiding since announcing her candidacy. She has yet to explain where she stands on abortion, whether or not she believes the election was stolen, and if she stands with Lauren Boebert and the rest of Colorado’s far-right coalition of elected officials.

DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy said, “Tonight’s forum is guaranteed to be a messy start to the Colorado GOP’s messy primary race to the bottom. Heidi Ganahl’s absence from the debate stage won’t be too much of a change of pace in the Republican primary field; with her avoidance of answers to key issues, she’s been practically absent from this race since she announced. The rest of the fringe candidates in the crowded field would be in prime position to poke holes in Ganahl’s faulty reasons for running — if they weren’t so caught up pushing their own backward, extreme agendas.”