Weiser leads Bennet, particularly among voters who are disillusioned with the Colorado Democratic Party
Weiser leading Bennet 36–28 among likely voters
A new statewide survey of likely Colorado Democratic primary voters reveals a defining dynamic in the governor's race: Phil Weiser has built an apparent lead over Michael Bennet by consolidating a large bloc of voters who express deep frustration with the current state and direction of the Colorado Democratic Party.
The statewide survey, conducted by Colorado Community Research from May 22 to May 28, 2026, finds Weiser leading Bennet 36–28 among likely voters (and 41–34 when allocating leaners). Despite Weiser's apparent lead, Bennet may have an outside PAC spending advantage going into the final 2.5 weeks, which could allow him to overcome the current deficit.
The underlying survey data reveal a stark divide in how voters’ views of the current Colorado Democratic Party impact their gubernatorial preference. Voters describing Democrats as "ineffective” support Weiser over Bennet at a 2:1 ratio, with 48% supporting Weiser, 24% supporting Bennet, and about 29% remaining undecided. Over half (51%) of voters who view Democrats as “effective” support Bennet; however, only 21% of likely voters currently view the party as effective. This finding suggests that Bennet is successfully capturing the more established-aligned, satisfied wing of the primary electorate, while Weiser is consolidating the change-seekers.
This ideological split extends to the party's forward-looking identity. Among voters who view the party as more “reactionary” than “visionary” (accounting for 45% of likely voters), Weiser captures 47% of the vote (including leaners), compared to 27% for Bennet, with the remaining 27% being undecided.
Methodology
Colorado Community Research conducted a text-to-web survey of 796 likely voters in the 2026 Colorado Democratic primary. The survey was conducted between May 22 and May 28, 2026. This survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.0% at the 95 percent confidence interval. The survey data were weighted to represent the expected turnout demographics of the 2026 Colorado Democratic primary election, using historical primary participation data from the Colorado Secretary of State.