DENVER — Heidi Ganahl on Tuesday became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to qualify for the June primary ballot after state election officials determined she submitted enough valid signatures on her petitions.
One of a dozen Republicans seeking the nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, Ganahl was the only GOP gubernatorial candidate to submit petitions. The others will compete against Ganahl for a slot in the primary at Saturday's state GOP assembly in Colorado Springs. For those who didn't petition, it will take support from at least 30% of delegates for any of them to advance, while Ganahl needs just 10% at assembly because she's already on the ballot.
>Video above: Heidi Ganahl enters governor race
Ganahl, an at-large member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, is the only Republican to hold statewide office in Colorado following Democratic sweeps in recent cycles. While Democrats still hold an edge among registered voters, state Republicans are hoping to stage a comeback in this year's midterm election amid plunging approval ratings for President Joe Biden and voters' frustration with inflation, a rising crime rate and pandemic restrictions.
"This is great news for our campaign," Ganahl told Colorado Politics via a spokeswoman. "The momentum is real. We have assembled a winning team and this was the first step in our strategy to kick Jared Polis to the curb in November. Thank you to the more than 16,000 registered Republicans who have supported my effort to get on the ballot. I am looking forward to the next step, earning the support of as many delegates as possible at this weekend’s assembly."
>Read the full article at Colorado Politics.