Magellan Strategies
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11%
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Democrat
Ken Salazar
Democratic candidate for Governor
Democrat
Ken Salazar
Democratic candidate for Governor
Colorado Democratic Governor nominee?
$783.9K
JUL 1, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds — Colorado Democratic Governor nominee?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
0.1%chance to win
$783.9KJUL 1, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleOther
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age71 years old (Mar 2, 1955)
GenderMale
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BackgroundAttorney
EducationColorado College (B.A., Political Science, 1977)
Notable personal detailsKenneth Lee Salazar is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He served as Colorado Attorney General (1999–2005), U.S. Senator from Colorado (2005–2009), and U.S. Secretary of the Interior (2009–2013). He later served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico (starting in 2021) and has worked as an attorney in private practice, including with WilmerHale in Denver.
SourcesShowHide
history.house.govdoi.govgovinfo.govcongress.govwikidata.orgsenate.goven.wikipedia.orgdignitymemorial.comusbr.govcolorado.edues.wikipedia.orgbiographs.orgbiographies.netontheissues.orgdiscoverthenetworks.orgpnhp.orgcoloradopolitics.comapnews.comwashingtonpost.comcpr.orgjustfacts.votesmart.org5280.comscientificamerican.compresidency.ucsb.educaselaw.findlaw.comkids.britannica.comlcv.orgdemocrats.senate.govinstagram.comfacebook.comphilforcolorado.comalamosacitizen.comdenverpost.comlavozcolorado.comeciks.orgcbsnews.comrmpbs.orgaxios.comnewsmax.comfoxnews.comallamericanspeakers.combioguide.congress.govfec.govforeign.senate.govbennet.senate.govcommons.wikimedia.orgupload.wikimedia.orgtransition.fec.govnga.orgballotready.orgfr.wikipedia.org
Political Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Public record shows a mix of positions on taxes: as a U.S. senator Ken Salazar supported some tax-cut measures and reforms aimed at protecting families/farms while also supporting selective taxes (for example on oil company windfall profits) and environmental/economic investments. His interest-group ratings on tax issues have been low from anti-tax organizations, indicating he is not aligned with major tax-cut advocacy groups. Overall his record does not fit cleanly into a single progressive or conservative tax stance.
Healthcare
Ken Salazar has supported comprehensive federal action to address uninsured populations and high health-care costs and has worked on expanding medical coverage for specific groups. He has sponsored bipartisan efforts to create a commission to develop broad health-care reform proposals and has listed health care among central policy priorities. His record indicates support for government-led solutions to expand access rather than calls to privatize or repeal major programs.
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Immigration & Border
Supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes expanded legal pathways and addressing root causes abroad while also endorsing stronger border enforcement and cooperation with Mexico. Emphasizes bipartisan, comprehensive solutions and development in origin countries alongside enforcement measures. Has warned migrants to use legal routes and called for increased U.S.-Mexico cooperation on migration and security.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports legal abortion access while endorsing some limits such as parental notification with bypass procedures and bans on late-term abortions except to protect the life or health of the mother. Has said the decision should be between a woman and her beliefs and has supported funding for family planning and contraception access to reduce unintended pregnancies.
Climate & Energy
Supports substantial development of renewable energy on federal lands and transmission buildout while accepting continued, managed use of oil, gas, and coal during a transition; has urged emissions limits and promoted climate science-informed land and resource management. Advocates policies to accelerate clean energy deployment (solar, wind, geothermal) on public lands and measures like carbon capture as part of a pragmatic energy transition.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports expanded background checks for gun transfers (including at gun shows) and has backed an assault-weapons ban in past public-service roles. Has worked with state leaders on gun-safety measures following the Columbine tragedy.
Latest News
AINews Summary
Last updatedSep 2, 2026
Ken Salazar is being mentioned mainly in broader reporting on the 2026 Democratic Senate primary landscape, where party divisions between moderates and progressives are shaping several contests. The coverage does not describe a specific new action by Salazar, but places him in the context of a tense intraparty fight as Democrats prepare for the midterms. Recent reporting also points to wider Democratic messaging and strategy battles ahead of 2026.
history.house.gov+50
Articles
WWestword6 months ago
Denver is a Finalist to Host 2028 Democratic National Convention
Neutral
NNNBC News3 months ago
Democrats zero in on an anti-corruption message: From the Politics Desk
Neutral
VVox.com1 month ago
It’s not the left rising. It’s the center falling.
Neutral
PPOLITICO3 months ago
Centrist Democrats are freaking out about progressives’ winning streak
Neutral
Latest Polls
Colorado Democratic Governor nominee?
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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