The kumbaya between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser, tenuous as it may have been between the two men seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, ended Saturday as they took shots at each other over lawsuits and Senate votes. “I don’t believe, when you’re up agains t a lawless bully, you try to make nice,” Weiser told the crowd at a north Denver union hall, referring to a vote Bennet cast supporting one of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees. Bennet, meanwhile, accused Weiser of “signing on to other people’s lawsuits and then walking around suburban Colorado saying, ‘I am fighting Donald Trump with my 50 lawsuits.’ “ The two met at a forum hosted Saturday by the Colorado Young Democrats, marking the first time they’ve shared a stage for the race for their party’s nomination in the upcoming gubernatorial election. Weiser, who is term-limited as attorney general, announced his candidacy a year ago. Bennet launched his own bid four months later. They have effectively cleared the field of other candidates. That leaves the two candidates squarely against each other in their bid to follow Gov. Jared Polis, who is term-limited. Colorado gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks during a forum hosted by the Colorado Young Democrats with himself and fellow candidate U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 68 in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post) The two agreed on several of the most prominent issues facing Democrats today. They want to repeal the cap on tax collections in the state constitution, while leaving voter approval for new taxes intact. They wanted some update to state laws overseeing how unions are formed, although they were vague about details. They expressed support for farmworkers, especially immigrants facing a crackdown by federal forces. The candidates instead sought to turn their opponent’s experience against them. Weiser castigated Bennet for the latter’s vote to approve U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, citing her later moves to freeze federal aid to Colorado and other states and open up natural areas to resource extraction, such as logging. Bennet said in a recent interview with 9News that he regrets his vote to confirm U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright but stands by his vote for Rollins. “There’s literally nothing easier in the world than voting against a Trump nominee on the floor of the U.S. Senate,” Bennet said at the forum, before turning his aim at Weiser. “Except for maybe joining someone else’s lawsuit that’s been filed against Donald Trump and saying that you have filed against Donald Trump.” Colorado gubernatorial candidate U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet speaks during a forum hosted by the Colorado Young Democrats with fellow candidate Attorney General Phil Weiser, not pictured, on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 68 in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post) Bennet likewise said the “easiest decision I could have made” would be to stay in the Senate but that he felt a “moral obligation” to fight the politics of Trump by addressing economic conditions in the state. Weiser has touted the number of lawsuits he has filed or joined against the Trump administration and the success his office has had. Most recently, a judge blocked the Trump administration from attempting to freeze low-income assistance money slated for Colorado because of unspecified allegations of fraud. Related Articles Gov. Jared Polis calls Tina Peters’ sentence ‘harsh,’ suggests he’s looking at potential commutation Judge blocks Trump administration from withholding social safety net funding to Colorado, 4 other states Colorado attorney general expands lawsuit to challenge Trump ‘revenge campaign’ against state Democratic lawmakers will resurrect vetoed labor bill with an eye toward Colorado’s next governor Colorado Springs DA enters Republican race for state attorney general “As your attorney general, I have sued this administration again and again and again,” Weiser said. “And we’re winning again and again and again. And if some people said lawsuits don’t matter — hypothetically, maybe even in the last couple hours — I gotta tell you, for transgender Coloradans, they matter,” referring to a recent freeze on gender-affirming care for youths by the Trump administration. The two also struck somewhat conciliatory tones at times. After the forum, Bennet maintained his criticism that Weiser joined other attorneys general’s lawsuits but added he was glad that Weiser did. Weiser repeated to the crowd his unofficial campaign slogan of “Weiser for governor; Bennet for Senate.” While the Democratic race has narrowed to the two men, the Republican field remains wide open. More than 20 candidates have declared for that party’s nomination for governor. Most recently, podcaster Joe Oltmann, who repeatedly has spread false election-rigging conspiracies and called for the execution of political rivals, joined the primary race. Two of the more prominent Republican candidates, however, have recently left the fray. Former Congressman Greg Lopez, who served in Washington as a stopgap while U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert moved to an Eastern Plains district last cycle, announced recently he was leaving the party to run for governor as an independent. State Sen. Mark Baisley of Woodland Park announced  this month he would instead seek the party nomination for U.S. Senate to challenge U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. Voters will choose the party nominees in the June 30 primary election. The winners will face off in the November general election. Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot. ...read more read less