Victor Marx Secures GOP Nomination for Colorado Governor

WHO:

CNN - Victor Marx, a marine veteran and ministry leader, is the Republican nominee for governor of Colorado.

CNN - His opponents in the GOP primary were state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms.

CNN - Phil Weiser is the Democratic candidate for governor and currently serves as the state’s attorney general.

CNN - Jared Polis is the outgoing Democratic governor of Colorado.

WHAT:

CNN - Victor Marx described himself as a “high-risk humanitarian” and claimed to have led “more than 150 high-stakes missions across some of the world’s most dangerous regions.”

AP - Marx stated that he has conducted a mission into “ISIS territory” to save a group of kidnapped girls.

AP - Marx claimed he was the “fastest gun disarmer in the world.”

AP - Marx thanked his supporters in a video, inviting those who hadn’t voted for him to join his coalition, saying, “If you’re frustrated, skeptical, or wondering if anything can actually change, I just proved it by winning the primary.”

CNN - Victor Marx described his campaign as “a battle of good and evil” and emphasized that it is “not so much parties anymore.”

CNN - Marx claimed to have taken on both Democrats and Republicans during his campaign.

CNN - Marx stated that he has performed hundreds of prayers to “set people free” from “demonic oppression.”

CNN - Marx suggested that a claim on his campaign website about serving “over 45,000 women and children” could have come from an independent contractor when the website was first built.

CNN - When pressed about how many women and children he has saved, Marx said there is “no need to” give the number out, pointing to “security reasons.”

CNN - Marx quipped, “I would say it’s more than one and less than a bunch.”

CNN - Marx stated, “I would never stop praying for people” when asked if he’ll continue to perform prayers if elected governor.

CNN - Bottoms, an evangelical pastor, reiterated his previous comments calling Marx a “con man” and stated, “I also said he was corrupt and I also said he lies and he lied to me personally quite a few times, and so I stand by that.”

CNN - Kirkmeyer, a veteran of Colorado GOP politics, referred to Marx as a “fraud” and expressed distrust, saying, “He makes up these tall tales, these tall stories, and I just don’t believe them.”

CNN - Marx argued that thousands of people could testify to his claims, stating, “I can’t help it if I’ve had an extraordinary life.”

CNN - Marx described his campaign as “a battle of good and evil” and emphasized that it is “not so much parties anymore.”

CNN - Marx claimed he has performed “hundreds of prayers to set people free” from “demonic oppression” and stated, “I would never stop praying for people” if elected governor.

CNN - During a debate, state Rep. Scott Bottoms called Marx a “con man” and stated, “I can’t put somebody like that anymore than I can put a Democrat into the governor’s seat.”

CNN - State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer referred to Marx as a “fraud” and expressed distrust, saying, “I can’t trust you. You’re unfit. You’re unqualified.”

CNN - Victor Marx won the Republican nomination for governor in Colorado.

CNN - Marx described his campaign as “nothing shy of beyond incredible.”

CNN - Marx claimed to have taken on both Democrats and Republicans during his campaign.

CNN - Marx stated that he has performed hundreds of prayers to “set people free” from “demonic oppression.”

CNN - Marx's campaign website previously claimed that “his teams have served over 45,000 women and children,” a statement that was later removed.

WHERE:

CNN - The GOP primary took place in Colorado.

CNN - Marx held his election night party in Colorado.

WHEN:

CNN - The election night party occurred on June 30.

CNN - The general election is scheduled for November.

WHY:

AP - Colorado has not elected a Republican as governor in more than two decades, and the state backed Democrat Kamala Harris for president by more than 10 points over Trump in 2024.

CNN - Marx's campaign focuses on issues such as reducing government spending, controlling crime, and addressing addiction.

HOW:

CNN - Marx's colorful personality resonated with grassroots conservatives, helping him separate from his rivals.

CNN - Marx's campaign strategy involved appealing to grassroots conservatives and addressing hardline conservative issues, which helped him separate from his rivals.

CNN - Marx's campaign strategy involved appealing to grassroots conservatives and addressing hardline conservative issues.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 16:43 UTC)

Victor Marx, who describes himself as a “high-risk humanitarian,” claims to have led over 150 high-stakes missions in some of the world's most dangerous regions, including a mission into ISIS territory to rescue kidnapped girls. In a recent video, Marx expressed gratitude to his supporters and invited skeptics to join his coalition, asserting that his primary victory proves change is possible. Notably, Colorado has not elected a Republican governor in more than two decades and supported Democrat Kamala Harris by over 10 points against Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 14:51 UTC)

Victor Marx is framing his campaign as a “battle of good and evil,” asserting that he has taken on both Democrats and Republicans while emphasizing the importance of his mission. He claims to have performed hundreds of prayers aimed at freeing people from “demonic oppression,” although he has been vague about the number of women and children he has saved, suggesting security reasons for not disclosing specifics. Meanwhile, some critics, including evangelical pastor Bottoms and Colorado GOP veteran Kirkmeyer, have labeled Marx a “con man” and a “fraud,” expressing skepticism about his claims and character.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 08:10 UTC)

Marx has framed his campaign as a “battle of good and evil,” emphasizing that it transcends traditional party lines, while also claiming he has conducted “hundreds of prayers to set people free” from what he describes as “demonic oppression.” However, his opponents have not held back, with state Rep. Scott Bottoms labeling him a “con man” and state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer calling him a “fraud” and expressing doubts about his qualifications. Despite the criticism, Marx's strategy focuses on appealing to grassroots conservatives and tackling hardline issues to distinguish himself from his rivals.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 00:19 UTC)

Victor Marx, a marine veteran and ministry leader, has secured the Republican nomination for governor of Colorado, defeating state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms in the GOP primary. Marx described his campaign as “nothing shy of beyond incredible,” emphasizing his commitment to reducing government spending, controlling crime, and addressing addiction, while also claiming to have taken on both Democrats and Republicans. The general election is set for November, where he will face off against the Democratic candidate, Phil Weiser, who currently serves as the state’s attorney general.