As governor, I will champion a bold vision for Colorado’s future. But as we look to the future, we cannot take our eye off the ongoing and pervasive threats of the present from the current federal administration—threats to our laws, our rights, and our sovereignty. As governor, I’ll stay right where I am—on the front lines of this fight for our democracy. That means continuing to do the hard work in pushing back on the Trump Administration’s constant barrage of illegal conduct and attacks on Coloradans’ rights. 

When it comes to this fight, as I’ve said: 

“If you’re dealing with a lawless bully whose actions are harmful, there’s only one response. You stand your ground and fight, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Coloradans know what they’ll get from me—I will show up, listen, and deliver. I collaborate when there is a partner to work with, and I fight when Colorado’s interests are damaged or harmed. That’s what I’ve done as Attorney General, and I’ll keep up that fight as governor. 

Fighting Back Against Illegal Conduct by the Federal Government

In a series of one unlawful act after another, the White House and Cabinet members continue to act as though they are above the law. Under the Trump Administration, Colorado has been targeted by the federal government aggressively and persistently. These illegal actions are done to punish their perceived opponents, and coerce state governments to bend to their will and policy positions. These unlawful tactics include:

• Wielding federal grant dollars as leverage to illegally coerce Colorado and other states to support Trump’s policies on issues such as gender affirming care, immigration, and diversity;

• Unlawfully and indiscriminately firing federal U.S. National Parks Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management workers on whom Colorado relies for wildfire prevention and public lands management; 

• Weaponizing federal lawsuits and the U.S. Department of Justice against Colorado and other states for enacting laws with which the Administration disagrees, and threatening criminal prosecutions of public officials if states do not repeal them; 

• Illegally canceling University of Colorado research grants with no statutory or legal authority to do so; and

• Punishing Colorado for allowing voters the option to vote by mail, and using relocating Colorado military installations and jobs as a penalty.

As governor, I will continue to stand up for the rule of law and Colorado’s sovereignty. The people of Colorado can expect what they’ve always gotten from me—real action with results.

Holding the Federal Government Accountable

During the first Trump Administration, I brought 11 lawsuits against the federal government to push back on illegal federal actions. In Trump’s second term, I’ve brought 39 lawsuits to date.  As Attorney General, I am guided by the principle that I will always go to court to defend Colorado’s rights when laws are being broken and Coloradans are harmed. As governor, I will continue Colorado’s efforts to leverage the resources and expertise of the Colorado Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives to defend federal taxpayer dollars that belong to our state. In partnership with the Attorney General’s Office, I will keep pushing back on federal overreach—that includes speaking out when the White House and Cabinet act above the law, holding the federal government accountable, and fighting daily to ensure the Trump Administration does not trample Coloradans’ rights. I will also ensure that Colorado’s sovereignty is respected so that our state can continue to enact laws and policies that our citizens think are right for Colorado—rather than bowing to the Trump Administration’s desired policies and goals. 

Standing Up for Coloradans’ Rights

As Attorney General, I strongly supported passage of the Reproductive Health Equity Act and Amendment 79—and I defended our reproductive rights laws in court when opponents tried to overturn them. And when anti-choice, out-of-state advocates tried to get a Colorado city to ban abortion facilities, I stood up for Colorado’s reproductive rights laws and the people who would be harmed. With the dangerous Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Colorado’s state-level protections for reproductive care are more important than ever. As governor, I will continue to defend our laws to ensure that reproductive care remains safe and available for all Coloradans. 

I also took action to defend LGBTQ Coloradans when their rights were under attack, including arguing at the U.S. Supreme Court to defend Colorado laws that protect them. As governor, I’ll keep standing up against the Trump Administration when it seeks to harm those who receive gender affirming care or stigmatize members of the LGBTQ community. I’ll never back away from protecting Coloradans when they are targeted for who they are.

Defending Space Command Headquarters from Political Games

When Trump decided to move Space Command headquarters out of Colorado Springs, he said that a “big factor” in his decision was Colorado’s mail-in voting laws. Those who serve in our military and federal employees should never be pawns in a petty game of political reprisals. Moving Space Command headquarters out of our state is wrong for national defense, and heartless to over one thousand Coloradans employed at Space Command HQ. These Coloradans are our neighbors—they’ve purchased homes, they’ve chosen schools for their kids, and they’ve made El Paso County their home. To throw their lives into uncertainty for political retribution by the President against Colorado—that’s beyond unfair to these Coloradans. 

And it is especially appalling that President Trump cited Colorado’s mail-in voting—a critical means of ensuring that the voice of all people can be heard—as his reason to move Space Command HQ because the U.S. Constitution authorizes Colorado, not the President, to make that decision. Decades of safe, secure, and accurate votes have been handled through mail-in voting in Colorado. I’ll defend our state’s mail-in voting process just as I always have—as a safe, legal way for all people to access and cast their ballots.  

Standing Up for the Colorado National Guard and Against Attempts to Politicize it by the Federal Government

The federal government’s calling up National Guard units and deploying them in our cities—over the objection of Governors—for purposes of domestic law enforcement is illegal and alarming. As the courts have begun to rule, these actions are unjustified and violate our Constitution. Yet the Trump White House continues to make threats to abuse military personnel for illegal purposes. As governor, like as attorney general, I will defend Colorado against any unlawful attempt by President Trump to deploy military troops against Colorado cities and our people. These federal actions are not only illegal, they are dangerous–military personnel are not trained to engage in law enforcement. Moreover, President Trump’s actions harm those who wear the uniform by taking them away from their families and lives for his political stunts.

We Cannot Let Those Who Cheat Win and Control Congress

A tactic that the President has demanded of his loyalists in states like Texas, Ohio, and Indiana is extreme mid-cycle partisan gerrymandering—a tactic in which politicians draw district lines to benefit themselves and their political party.

This is a cynical and dangerous power grab to rig the next election and control of Congress. Stacking the deck of congressional control is not how our democracy and elections are supposed to work.

I strongly oppose gerrymandering. In fact, I have gone to court to stop it from occurring in our state. Coloradans have a long history of stopping politicians from picking their own voters. And in these dangerous times, it’s not enough for Colorado to stand against gerrymandering in our own state. 

To protect our democracy, we must respond to underhanded tactics now taking place in states like Texas. We cannot stand idly by while our democracy is on the line. We must fight back to stop other states from using this dangerous tactic by removing any incentive for that cheating in the first place by being ready and able to respond in kind. 

If this cheating by other states continues to advance, as appears likely, Colorado must be ready and willing to respond in kind. That’s why I’ll support a constitutional amendment allowing Colorado to do just that.

For Colorado to counter President Trump’s demands for state mid-decade gerrymandering to rig the elections in his favor, we must ask the voters to amend our state Constitution to add a narrow exception to Amendments Y and Z when these dirty tactics are employed. If an amendment is approved in fall 2026, the soonest new maps could be in place is for the 2028 election. Ideally, this step will not be necessary, but we must be ready to do our part to ensure that cheating does not pay off. 

Once on the ballot, any such amendment must be approved by at least 55% of Colorado voters. This is a high threshold, and there are no guarantees at the ballot box. Colorado voters could still say no. In the end, the choice belongs to them.

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Whether protecting Space Command HQ employees, defending our ballot and voting systems, or fighting other illegal acts, as governor, I will always push back and fight against those that try to bully Colorado and run roughshod over our laws. And I will always defend Colorado and our citizens.