A veteran Colorado Republican, state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, is entering the 2026 gubernatorial race.

Kirkmeyer is a state senator for Brighton, Colorado, and is known for being a centrist. Before taking office in 2021, she served for two decades as the Weld County commissioner and in former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens’s administration.

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The 66-year-old ran for Congress in 2022 to represent the state’s 8th Congressional District but lost narrowly to former Rep. Yadira Caraveo.

Colorado state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer looks on during a

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