Primary Neutrality and our Colorado GOP

Our Colorado GOP State Central Committee has a decision to make, and it needs to make it soon. We must determine our party’s proper approach and relationship with primary candidates moving forward, not only for the 2026 election cycle, but years and decades from now.

BACKGROUND

In 2024, a bylaw change at the State Republican Assembly allowed our state party leadership to make pre-primary endorsements. For some, this was a controversial decision by the Assembly, and created a unique precedent never before applied to our traditional primary processes. From there, surveys were sent out to prospective primary candidates to receive a future endorsement from the state party, facilitated by leadership.

A NEW DIRECTION

I believe wholeheartedly that maintaining neutrality is critical in any election cycle. Our state party’s role is to mobilize targeted voters and support Republican candidates; not to interfere in primaries.

So, how do we achieve that? As Chair, working with the SCC and our Executive Committee, I will advocate and fight to return us to a zero-tolerance situation for pre-primary endorsements. In tandem with SCC members, it’s crucial we overturn the current pre-primary endorsement policy. We must welcome all Republican candidates and let the voters decide.

My goal is to grow our party by working with county leadership across Colorado to energize and engage voters in every election.

I offer to SCC members the following proposed language for us to adopt at our upcoming meeting on March 29. Known as the “FAIR” Amendment, standing for “Fair and Accountable Integrity in Representation”, I believe this provides us the concrete language to codify in our governing documents once and for all, spelling out our relationship with primary candidates:

[AMENDMENT IN TEXT FORM]

Candidate Support

(a) The Colorado Republican Committee shall not contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for any public or party office of the State of Colorado, except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office. 

(b) The CRC shall not endorse or express public support for any candidate for any public or party office of the State of Colorado, except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office. 

(c) The CRC shall not express any negative views or public condemnation of any Republican candidate for public or party office of the State of Colorado, at any time.