Former Colorado Senate President Kevin Grantham announced Tuesday that he will join the fray for state treasurer, becoming the first Republican to enter the race.
Grantham, of Cañon City, was the last Republican to lead the state Senate. After being term-limited from serving again in the chamber in 2019, he successfully ran in 2020 for the Fremont County Board of Commissioners, where he has served since.
“I was raised in a rural farming community in Southeast Colorado raising hogs — so I know a little something about how to cut the fat,” Grantham said in a statement announcing his candidacy. “Coloradans deserve leaders that will be careful stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars. They deserve a state (where) they can afford to live and raise a family without breaking the bank.”
Grantham highlighted growth in the state treasurer’s office and “reckless spending” by Democrats as a top issue. He pledged to speed up how fast taxpayers get back unclaimed property from the state, a function overseen by the office.
The state treasurer serves as steward of the state’s tax dollars. Treasurer Dave Young, a Democrat, has held the job since 2019. He is term-limited from seeking reelection.
Democratic state Sen. Jeff Bridges, of Greenwood Village, and state Rep. Brianna Titone, of Arvada, have also announced their candidacies for the job. They will face off in a primary with fellow Democrats Jerry DiTullio and John Mikos next summer. Voters will pick the next treasurer in the November 2026 general election.
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