Republican abruptly abandons governor's race as he sets sights on Senate showdown

Republican Mark Baisley now running for U.S. Senate, drops bid for Colorado governor

by Lindsey Toomer, Colorado Newsline
January 5, 2026

Colorado state Sen. Mark Baisley is ditching his campaign for Colorado governor to run for U.S. Senate instead.

Baisley, a Woodland Park Republican, announced on a conservative podcast this week that he will challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper in November. He leaves behind a crowded GOP primary field for Colorado governor, where he said the electorate “will have some good choices there for moving forward with a new governor.”

“My focus is now on the United States Senate, where I frankly feel more suited,” Baisley told Brandon Wark of Free State Colorado. “I’ve been in the Legislature for seven years, this is my eighth year now, and it would be transitioning to the legislature at a bigger stage in Washington D.C. rather than in Denver, Colorado.”

Baisley is the most experienced Republican to enter the 2026 race for the Senate. Janak Joshi, a Republican former member of the Colorado House of Representatives and past candidate for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, is also running for U.S. Senate. Other Republican candidates include Montrose County Commissioner Sean Pond, George Markert and Dathan Jones.

Colorado state Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat, is also challenging Hickenlooper. Baisley said he hopes the internal battle for Democrats in the June primary will benefit his campaign. Other Democratic candidates include attorney Karen Breslin, software engineer Brashad Hasley and accountant A.J. Zimpfer.

Hickenlooper, a former Colorado governor and mayor of Denver, beat former U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, by 10 percentage points in the 2020 election. Hickenlooper’s campaign characterized Baisley as “too extreme for Colorado” and said he joins a group of Republican candidates campaigning to “prove who would be more loyal to Trump.”

Baisley did not respond to a request for comment from Newsline.

Other Republican candidates running for governor include state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, state Rep. Scott Bottoms, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell, Bob Brinkerhoff, Jason Clark, Jon Gray-Ginsberg, Kelvin “K-Man” Wimberly and Will McBride.

Greg Lopez, who briefly represented Colorado’s 4th Congressional District in Congress following former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s resignation, announced Monday he will continue his campaign for governor, but as an unaffiliated candidate.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser are running in the Democratic primary for governor. Colorado hasn’t had a Republican governor since Gov. Bill Owens left office after the 2006 election.

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.