The Denver Democrat, who has served as the state’s attorney general since 2019, is the first major name to declare for the 2026 gubernatorial election.

“As your Attorney General, I’ve shown up in every county, listened to you, and gotten results. That’s how we make life better for all Coloradans,” Weiser said in his campaign announcement. “And there is more work to do to make Colorado a more affordable place to live, defend our freedoms & protect our land, air, and water.”

In a poll of Colorado Democratic primary voters conducted last month, 8% said they would support Weiser if the primary election were held then.

While 37% said they were undecided in the poll by Magellan Strategies, 20% said they would vote for U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, 16% supported Secretary of State Jena Griswold, and 11% supported former U.S. senator and current Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.

The next governor will succeed Democrat Gov. Jared Polis, who took office in 2019 but is term limited. Polis won the 2022 gubernatorial election with 58.5% of votes.

Weiser previously clerked for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and was dean of the University of Colorado Law School. Weiser also served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division during the Obama administration.

“We must make it more affordable for Coloradans to own or rent a home, protect our freedoms, keep our communities safe, protect our land, air, and water, and create opportunities for our next generation and their future,” Weiser said.