Colorado AG Primary
Jena Griswold Dominates Colorado Democratic Primary for Attorney General Post
Jena Griswold crushed a four-way Democratic primary for Colorado attorney general on June 30, winning with 46.3% of the vote — a margin of roughly 26 percentage points over her closest rival, according to Colorado Sun. The Associated Press called the race in her favor late that night.
Griswold, who has served as Colorado's secretary of state since 2018, will now move on to the November general election. She is expected to face El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen, the projected Republican primary winner, Colorado Sun reported.
Griswold Dominates a Crowded Democratic Field
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty finished second with 19.1% of the vote. Workers' rights attorney David Seligman earned 19.8%, and former federal prosecutor Hetal Doshi trailed with 17.1%, according to Colorado Sun. The three challengers spent much of the race attacking Griswold, but none could break through her lead.
A central line of attack was Griswold's refusal to attend a key candidate forum hosted by Colorado Sun on June 10. Doshi, Dougherty, and Seligman all criticized her absence. Dougherty demanded she commit to not skipping general election debates. Griswold's campaign largely ignored the pressure and kept its focus on television ads.
A $900,000 Ad Buy and a Trump-Focused Message
Griswold launched a TV ad campaign worth more than $900,000 in early June, according to Colorado Politics. The ads focused on her record fighting Donald Trump and defending election security. She also raised $185,000 in her first 24 hours as a candidate — a record for the race.
On the night of her win, Griswold said: "As attorney general, I will continue standing up to Trump and MAGA extremists to protect our democracy and fundamental rights," per Colorado Politics. Her campaign repeatedly linked Republican opponent David Willson to former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted for tampering with election equipment.
A General Election Battle Over Courtroom vs. Statehouse Experience
Griswold will face Michael Allen in November. Allen is a Navy veteran and career prosecutor from El Paso County. He is endorsed by the NRA and major law enforcement groups, according to Colorado Politics. Allen has argued the AG's office has been "serving political agendas" rather than keeping Coloradans safe.
Analysts say the general election will pit Griswold's "defense of democracy" brand against Allen's law-and-order record. Griswold has never tried a case in court. Allen will likely make that a central issue. According to Axios, her eight years of statewide name recognition give her a structural advantage heading into November.
Musical Chairs: How Term Limits Reshuffled Colorado's Top Offices
Griswold's AG run was triggered by a wave of term limits hitting Colorado's Democratic leadership. Incumbent Attorney General Phil Weiser cannot run again. He is now running for governor against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. Early returns showed Weiser leading Bennet 60% to 40%, according to Colorado Sun.
Griswold's secretary of state seat is also opening up. Amanda Gonzalez won the Democratic nomination to replace her, according to the Associated Press. The overlapping races created a reshuffling of Colorado's top Democratic officials all in a single primary night.
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