Promising not to raise taxes if elected Colorado governor next year, Weld County resident, former county commissioner and State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer announced she was entering the crowded race Tuesday evening, saying “it’s time.”
“It’s time that we have a governor who knows how to govern, one who believes that Colorado’s best days are ahead of us,” Kirkmeyer said, touting her credentials as a mother, grandmother, businesswoman and experienced legislator.
Kirkmeyer announced her run in front of about 50 supporters at the Historic Fort Lupton site in southern Weld. Kirkmeyer told the group that she would not raise taxes as governor while fighting for affordability, education and safety in communities.
She also said she would “fix the damn roads” in Colorado.
“And you can go back and look at my track record as Weld County commissioner,” Kirkmeyer added. “I will partner with local governments to actually solve problems because that’s what a governor should do.”
Kirkmeyer joins multiple Republican candidates who have filed to run as of early this week. The field so far includes State Sen. Mark Baisley, State Rep. Scott Bottoms, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell and former interim U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez.
Four Democrats have filed, including U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Weiser was among the Democrat Party representatives earlier in the day Tuesday to weigh in on Kirkmeyer’s entry into the gubernatorial race saying in part: “I have a different vision for Colorado — focused on freedom and opportunity for all-and will fight for hit. I welcome Sen. Kirkmeyer to the race and look forward to a debate about the values and leadership needs and deserves in this moment.”
Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe also released a statement ahead of Kirkmeyer’s announcement, accusing her of “running to bring Donald Trump’s deeply unpopular agenda of raising costs and taking away health care to Colorado.”
“Whether it’s supporting abortion bans or D.C. Republicans’ new law that has blown a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget, Kirkmeyer has proven over and over again that she is too out-of-touch for Colorado,” Donohoe continued.
Kirkmeyer was elected to the state senate from District 23 in 2020 and again in 2024. In 2022, she lost to Yadira Caraveo in the general election for the then-new U.S. House 8th Congressional District seat.
She sat on the Weld County Board of Commissioners from 1993-2000 and again from 2009-2020. Former county commissioner Steve Moreno and current Commissioner Scott James were among those in attendance at Kirkmeyer’s announcement.
Kirkmeyer said she finalized her decision to run in August, around the time the state lawmakers convened for a five-day special session to address issues with balancing the state budget.
Kirkmeyer spent a lot of time Tuesday speaking about fiscal conservatism and the state living within its means. She also spoke of her experience on the joint budget committee, which studies and evaluates the management and operations of state government.
“My experience with knowing what’s in that joint budget and what’s in that budget long bill, and how to go in and cut and what kind of cuts need to be made,” Kirkmeyer said.
“When you’re a governor, you’re a governor for everybody in the state and you’ve got to show that you’re going to govern for everybody, and that you’re going to work with everybody and whoever you need to to move this state forward,” she added.