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Months into , U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and state Attorney General Phil Weiser have collectively raised millions of dollars, both campaigns reported. 

The two Democrats are the leading candidates vying for their party’s nomination in the 2026 General Election to replace incumbent Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who is term-limited. The Democratic primary election will be held on June 30.

Voters haven’t elected a Republican governor since 2002 and have shifted increasingly more Democratic in the years since, meaning the winner of the June primary could easily cruise to victory in the November election. 

Polis won reelection in 2022 against Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl by more than 19 percentage points. 

Fundraising reports for the second quarter of 2025, which stretches from April 1 to June 30, show both Bennet and Weiser’s campaigns in strong financial positions. 

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Bennet, who entered the race on April 11, reported raising over $1.7 million during that period, which the campaign said is a record amount for the quarter during an off year in Colorado. Bennet’s campaign ended the quarter with more than $1.3 million in cash on hand. 

“This record-breaking fundraising shows the strength of our movement,” Bennet said in a statement. “Together, we are forging the coalition it takes to build a Colorado where working people can get ahead and to show the entire country what leadership and hope look like, at a moment when it couldn’t matter more.” 

Weiser, who announced his bid for governor in January, raised just over $1 million during the second quarter, but his earlier entrance in the race has helped him build a larger war chest so far. 

Weiser’s campaign has raised over $3 million in total since January, with just under $2.5 million in cash on hand as of the end of June. His campaign also reported more individual donors than Bennet’s, with contributions from over 7,600 people compared to the more than 6,400 who’ve given to Bennet’s campaign. 

“We have raised substantially more money for our campaign, have substantially more cash on hand, and have more individual donors than Sen. Bennet or any candidate in this race,” Weiser said in a statement. “This level of support shows that we have the momentum, energy, and resources to give Colorado voters the competitive race they deserve.”

Both Bennet and Weiser have already proven to be fundraising juggernauts. 

Bennet raised more than $22 million for his Senate reelection campaign in 2022, while that same year, Weiser raised more than $5 million for his reelection as attorney general — amounts that dwarfed their Republican challengers. 

Bennet, however, maintains an edge over Weiser in the governor’s race when it comes to name recognition. An internal poll released by Bennet’s campaign in June shows the senator with a 31-point lead over Weiser among likely Democratic primary voters. 

Of the 600 likely voters surveyed, 74% also gave Bennet a favorable rating compared to 45% for Weiser. Overall, the poll found Bennet winning over 53% of likely voters compared to Weiser’s 22%, with 25% of voters undecided. 

The survey was conducted by Global Strategy Group, a national polling firm that has done past surveys in Colorado. 

“While some of this margin is due to his name ID advantage, Bennet also converts 61% of the voters who can ID him into votes,” the group wrote in a report on the polling data. “By comparison, Weiser converts 42% of the voters who can ID him into votes.”

Several high-profile Democrats were quick to endorse Bennet when he announced his bid for governor, including U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow, and Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie. 

Republicans running for their party’s nomination for governor include former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, state Sen. Mark Baisley and Rep. Scott Bottoms, and Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell.

Lopez raised ​​$28,430 during the most recent fundraising period, with $12,023 in cash on hand. Baisley raised $13,864 with $2,467 on hand, while Bottoms raised $29,240 with $9,321 on hand. Mikesell raised $25,315 with $24,180 on hand.