Kirkmeyer and Bottoms Face Off in First Televised Colorado GOP Gubernatorial Debate

The broadcast kicks off a voter-focused debate series in an open race to replace term-limited Gov. Jared Polis.

Overview

State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer and State Rep. Scott Bottoms are debating live in a forum hosted by CPR News, Denver7 and The Denver Post, with television, radio and online streams carrying the event.
Moderators from those outlets are using questions gathered from the public, and co-moderator Bazi Kanani says the fast format will press candidates on jobs, costs, the environment and technology.
GOP contender Victor Marx declined this debate but is confirmed for upcoming forums at Colorado Christian University and the University of Denver hosted by CBS4, the Denver Gazette, KOA and 9News.
Bottoms will appear first on the Republican primary ballot because he won top placement at the party assembly, while Kirkmeyer and Marx qualified by submitting voter signatures.
The governor’s race is an open-seat contest, and on the Democratic side U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser are competing for their party’s nomination.