Barbara Kirkmeyer
Colorado Republican Governor nominee?
$36.0K
JUL 1, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleState Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age67 years old (Sep 15, 1958)
GenderFemale
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LocationColorado
BackgroundPolitician
EducationUniversity of Colorado Boulder (B.S., physical education)
Notable personal detailsBarbara Jean Kirkmeyer is a Republican politician serving in the Colorado Senate representing District 23 (Weld and Larimer counties) since January 2021. She previously served multiple terms as a Weld County Commissioner, including from 1993–2000 and 2009–2020, and has worked in state local-government administration. Kirkmeyer was the Republican nominee for Colorado's 8th Congressional District in 2022 and launched a campaign for Colorado governor in 2025.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports cutting property taxes and protecting the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), opposes raising taxes, and favors balancing budgets through spending or program changes rather than new or higher taxes. Has sponsored and championed state-level property tax reduction legislation and argued against tax increases in special sessions.
Healthcare
Supports converting Medicaid to a block grant and reducing federal entitlement spending; has advocated looking at entitlement programs (including Medicaid) for cuts or transformation and emphasized market-oriented/fiscal restraint approaches to healthcare funding. Has opposed certain state proposals that would expand or reclassify health-provider fees aimed at increasing funding through enterprise mechanisms.
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Immigration & Border
Supports strengthening border security and enforcement (including building the wall) while backing reforms to legal immigration pathways for agriculture workers and a pathway/process review for DACA recipients; frames the issue around stopping drugs like fentanyl and securing legal entry. Emphasizes securing the southern border as the first step before broader immigration reform.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports significant restrictions on abortion while allowing at least an exception when a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother. Previously expressed opposition to exceptions and supported personhood-related measures but has described her position as allowing a life-of-the-mother exception.
Climate & Energy
Supports Colorado oil and gas development and American energy independence, favors a “best-of-the-above” energy approach that uses cost-effective and ready-to-go sources, and opposes policies she characterizes as efforts to “destroy” the oil-and-gas economic engine; she has questioned the extent of human contribution to recent warming.
Public Safety & Guns
Barbara (Barb) Kirkmeyer has promoted Second Amendment protections and led her county to adopt a Second Amendment sanctuary resolution that opposed Colorado’s red-flag legislation. Her campaign messaging emphasizes defending gun rights and opposing “gun-grabbing” measures; she has portrayed expanded gun restrictions (background checks, red-flag enforcement) as unconstitutional or unwarranted.
News
Barbara Kirkmeyer is in the news as a Republican candidate for Colorado governor ahead of the June 30 primary. She is set to debate Scott Bottoms in a one-hour event hosted by The Denver Post, Denver7 and Colorado Public Radio, while Victor Marx declined to take part. Recent campaign finance reports show Kirkmeyer trailing Marx in fundraising, with about $510,000 raised and about $93,000 cash on hand.
Barbara Kirkmeyer, Scott Bottoms to debate in governor's race
Phil Weiser, Michael Bennet will debate in CO's governor's race
Phil Weiser, Michael Bennet compete for dollars in Colorado governor's race
Emerging legislation would shield polluters from liability for climate change
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20242022
2024
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements