Colorado faces significant challenges—improving affordability, becoming a better place to build a business, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation across our public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Over the last 30 years, Colorado enjoyed a level of dynamism and growth that made us the envy of the United States. After the COVID pandemic, and now in particular, that level of growth is stalling. From 2013-2020, Colorado grew by roughly 42,000 people a year; from 2020-23, Colorado grew by only 6,000 people per year.
We have faced challenges before— including in the 1980s when Governor Roy Romer and Mayor Federico Peña met the moment and helped to lead us through those challenges. They brought vision, and the best and brightest talent, to lead in government and partner with business, workers, and community leaders. The assets we have today—from Denver International Airport to Major League Baseball—coupled with our natural beauty and lifestyle were game changers. I am honored that Governor Romer and Mayor Peña have endorsed me to be our next governor as the right person to lead our state in this moment.
In Colorado, we root for each other to succeed. Businesses in Colorado—both emerging companies and established ones—ask first, “how can I support you?” That mindset of “give first” is a powerful asset that we can build on as we enable great companies in emerging technologies like personalized medicine in biotech, quantum, water management, clean tech, renewable energy, AI, blockchain, and aerospace to grow in Colorado. As governor, I will be a partner, rolling up my sleeves and asking, “how can I support you?”
We are ready and prepared to reinvigorate Colorado—as a vibrant economic hub with an environment statewide that makes it simple for businesses to start and grow, our business sectors to compete and thrive, workers to earn a good living, and talent to flourish. That includes providing critical support to small businesses for access to capital, mentorship, and technical assistance, particularly for those groups lacking in such resources because of their background. In Colorado, we must support and mentor first time entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities to build a more inclusive economy.
Charging Our Colorado Economy
As attorney general, I have led with a spirit of collaboration and innovation to solve problems. On addressing the opioid crisis, we listened, collaborated with others, and got results. We went to court and recovered almost $900 million for our state, which we managed in a nationally recognized, transparent, effective way, focused on solving the problem at hand with local leaders in charge, and metrics to show our impact. Today, those funds are going to help communities recover, and synthetic opioid deaths have decreased by 28.5 percent from October 2023 to October 2024.
I will bring an entrepreneurial mindset to leading Colorado. I honed this approach as a leader of Colorado’s startup community. I founded Silicon Flatirons, an entrepreneurial hub at CU Law School, Startup Colorado, which began in Boulder and is now statewide, and the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network (now BENColorado). I also served as innovation and technology advisor to President Obama, spearheading the development of Startup America, a push for broadband deployment, and growth in the technology and innovation sectors.
I’ve listened, and heard, that Colorado businesses are concerned that they face headwinds when working with the state government. This includes unresponsive state agencies and outdated regulatory barriers not updated or evaluated in decades. Dealing with the state government takes longer than it should, costing valuable time and resources. And there is not enough “can do” problem solving, like we accomplished with our housing initiative for rural Colorado out of the Attorney General’s Office. The state must listen, learn, and work with Coloradans to meet the challenges we face, from meeting our workforce development skills gap to making housing more affordable to addressing drought and wildfires.
As attorney general, my work establishing a regulatory structure for Colorado’s new Privacy Act demonstrates how I will lead on regulatory issues that impact the private sector—with a commitment to effective, smart oversight, and meaningful input from those affected. Through this approach, we pursued regulations that were technically sound and developed through open dialogue with stakeholders, shaped by public comment, and documented with clear, accessible explanations.
Recharging Our Economic Engine with Conditions to Succeed
As governor, I will partner with business, labor, and community leaders to chart the course ahead for a thriving economy. To get there, here’s my 5-point plan:
- Collaborate, championing an environment that supports business and our workforce. I will invite businesses and labor as partners to join teams to solve specific challenges and offer insights and strategies to foster a productive business environment to keep our state economy and workforce competitive;
- Maximize our leverage, winning where we have strength. I will work with leaders to promote enhanced growth and innovation in key assets like technology and digital infrastructure, quantum computing, AI, outdoor recreation and tourism, agriculture and natural foods, health care and biomedical innovation, blockchain technologies, aerospace and defense, and energy;
- Cultivate the next Colorado innovation renaissance. I will support the next startup and small business renaissance for those attracted by our collaborative culture, talent, innovative spirit, unique natural environment, and quality of life. I will work to expand access to resources and capital through small business grants and microloans, and streamline the process for those just getting started or working hard to grow, recognizing that companies founded by underrepresented groups often face a mentoring gap that can impede their ability to succeed. To help this effort, our new Chief Innovation Officer will make this initiative one of the top priorities, ensuring we bring cutting edge thinking into state government;
- Focus on ensuring our urban centers win. A great state is only possible with great towns and cities. I will lead the state to provide new, creative incentives for economic development to grow urban economic hubs both in established job centers and in communities willing and able to support new growth. As governor, I will galvanize our leaders and coalitions to showcase various assets, such as talent pipelines, available offices, manufacturing and research space, community connectedness, and the ability to move quickly. The leaders who attracted and created the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub and the Grand Junction Business Incubator are great examples of how private-public partnerships can build a winning coalition; and
- Simplify and remove unnecessary barriers with the goal of making doing business easier. I will direct the Cabinet and each state agency to undertake a comprehensive review of all regulations, based on costs and benefits, removing unnecessary or outdated burdens that serve no safety value.
And to help small business entrepreneurs, we will create a “Starting A Business Ecosystem Navigator”, an interactive, visual map of Colorado’s business ecosystem. The Navigator will highlight steps to start a business, and identify physical spaces, investors and banks, accelerators, and events to support new entrepreneurs as they start their ventures.
Supporting Workers and Fair Competition, and Protecting Consumers
As attorney general, I enforce the state’s consumer protection and antitrust laws. My principle is that our economy is stronger—for business, workers, and consumers—when our markets are fair. For those companies that violate our laws, take advantage of consumers, and don’t treat their workers with respect and according to our laws—they must be held accountable. Equally important, our markets are stronger and fairer for companies which conduct business the right way and follow our laws when we hold companies engaged in wrongdoing accountable.
As governor, I will make sure that the Department of Regulatory Agencies’ consumer protection mission ensures that businesses that play by the rules aren’t at a disadvantage to those that don’t. Similarly, the Department of Labor and Employment will hold accountable businesses that treat their employees unlawfully—such as engaging in wage theft, misclassifying employees, threatening illegal retaliation against immigrant workers, or violating our worker protection laws. As governor, I will not tolerate those that harm workers by violating state’s labor laws, and I will stand with those companies that play by the rules and treat their employees fairly.
As governor, I will ensure that labor always has a seat at the table alongside business in rooms where public policy and decisions are made—because our economic prosperity relies on a strong and sound partnership between employers and employees collaborating together. And labor unions must be respected and protected in their right to organize and bargain for fair treatment and wages for their workforce.
Strategic Enablers for Our Economic Growth
Business and economic growth don’t happen in isolation. As governor, I will support key enablers that are necessary for our state to grow and create jobs.
Infrastructure: We must improve infrastructure for transportation and public transit options, energy, and technology. To attract and keep business in Colorado, we need best-in-class digital and data systems within our energy grid and broadband infrastructure.
To reduce congestion for commuters to get to their workplaces, our major corridors, roads, and bridges must be maintained and upgraded. And, we need more expansive and reliable public transit options.
Workforce: A strong, Colorado-based workforce will fuel our economic growth. I will work collaboratively with the labor and business communities to facilitate talent development and skill building, for incumbent workers, adults upskilling and reskilling, and our youth who are our next generation.
Programs like ColoradoCorps and my Earn-and-Learn promise will invigorate our homegrown talent pipeline. A statewide effort to publish clear data showing how education programs lead to employment outcomes will help Coloradans discern which investments lead to careers. And, we will ensure we enable our workforce by supporting childcare access and affordability across Colorado.
Public Safety: I will champion bringing new resources, strategies, and training to: law enforcement to reenergize our officer talent and techniques; our communities to prevent crime; and victims to preserve justice.
Protecting our Natural Resources: Colorado’s economy, especially our outdoor recreation businesses, depends on protecting our land, air, and water. We will work with local leaders to spearhead critical efforts to support sustainability and sound conservation practices.