Colorado Republicans are increasingly alarmed by the apparent front-runner in their gubernatorial primary, a self-described "demon hunter" and former Marine named Victor Marx, whose bizarre public statements and unverified claims have made him a viral sensation — and a growing liability for the party.
Marx's campaign drew national attention after a recent interview with Denver news anchor Kyle Clark, who asked the candidate directly how many people he had killed. Marx, who frequently discusses violence and spiritual warfare on social media and podcasts, gave a halting, evasive response, eventually replying, "Does it matter?" when pressed about killings as an adult, reported Slate, and the exchange went viral and thrust Colorado's unusual primary into the national spotlight.
Despite having never held public office, Marx has emerged as the apparent front-runner among three GOP candidates, having raised more money than his two rivals combined. That has unsettled party insiders, who fear his presence on the ticket could damage down-ballot Republicans even though no GOP candidate is given much chance of winning the governorship in a state that's elected only one Republican governor in the past 50 years.
"I've never seen anything like this," said longtime Republican consultant Dick Wadhams, who has run several Colorado U.S. Senate campaigns. He described Marx as someone whose statements contain "a kernel of truth" but veer into "outlandish claims," and said he now believes Marx has convinced himself he will actually become governor.
Much of Marx's public profile rests on claims that have either been walked back or remain unverified. He has described rescuing tens of thousands of trafficking victims — language his campaign softened to "served" after journalists raised questions — and has claimed to have called in an airstrike that killed dozens of ISIS fighters, a claim that has not been corroborated. A Mississippi sheriff's office has also said it has no record supporting Marx's account of a childhood incident central to his personal story.
Adding to the unease are questions about Marx's campaign finances. An analysis by Republican activist Darcy Schoening found the campaign has spent more than 90 percent of the $2.8 million it raised, including large sums on consultants and clothing, while flagging what she described as patterns resembling illegal straw donations and inflated social media support. The campaign has attributed the irregularities to clerical errors, and Colorado's secretary of state has declined to investigate.
Notably, criticism of Marx hasn't been confined to moderates. Even prominent right-wing commentator Candace Owens has publicly clashed with him, suggesting his brand of political theater has struck some conservatives as excessive — a label rarely applied within today's GOP.