As Colorado prepares for heated primary races in key state seats, including governor, U.S. senator and attorney general, many of Boulder County’s local candidates have already been decided before the primary election.
That’s because most county races will advance to the Democratic primary uncontested, essentially guaranteeing those candidates victory in a strongly Democratic county.
The treasurer seat, from which incumbent Paul Weissman is retiring after reaching his term limit, is the only contested county race. Of seven open state representative seats in Boulder County, only two will have contested Democratic primaries: House District 19, a swing district between Longmont and Lafayette that is currently represented by Republican Dan Woog, and District 11 in Longmont, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Karen McCormick.
Before candidates can appear on the June primary ballot, they need to receive at least 30% of the vote from party delegates at a March 14 assembly, or they can petition onto the ballot by collecting signatures. The delegates who vote at the party assembly are chosen at the March 7 caucuses, which are open to all registered Democrats.
State House District races
District 19 is expected to be the most hotly contested race in Boulder County. In 2024, Woog won the seat over Democrat Jillaire McMillan by just 110 votes, after McMillan entered the race late when incumbent Democrat Jennifer Parenti dropped out in July.
McMillan is trying again to win the seat this year. Democrat Anil Pesaramelli, an Erie city councilmember, is also vying for a spot on the primary ballot.
McMillan holds nearly all of the endorsements from Democratic Colorado legislators, while Pesaramelli holds more endorsements from local officials, including two Erie city councilmembers and the mayors of Longmont and Lafayette.
The two exceptions to that trend are Boulder Rep. Junie Joseph, who endorsed Pesaramelli, and Longmont Councilmember Jake Marsing, who endorsed McMillan.
Joseph said there was “absolutely no pressure from the party” to support a specific candidate, and that she chose to support Pesaramelli because of his alignment with shared core values — housing, equity and LGBTQ+ rights — “issues that are central to our community’s progress.”
Colton Jonjak Plahn, a 2023 Stanford University graduate, is also fighting for a place on the primary ballot for District 19, but hopes to petition on rather than going through the caucus process.
In Longmont, incumbent Rep. McCormick, who has served in the state House for five years and is running for her fourth term, is being challenged by Brian Brown, who is pushing for more local engagement from the Statehouse. As of Jan. 15, McCormick had $31,600 in cash on hand, and Brown had none.
County treasurer race
Rachel Friend, a former Boulder City Councilmember; Jenn Kaaoush, a Superior City Councilmember; and William Van Dusen, who chaired Longmont’s Planning and Zoning Commission, are all competing for a spot on the primary ballot for Boulder County treasurer.
The treasurer’s office is responsible for collecting property taxes, handling the release of deeds of trust and managing foreclosures.
Kaaoush has worked in real estate and mortgage-related roles, and Friend and Van Dusen are both attorneys. Van Dusen is a tax attorney, and Friend runs her own political consulting firm.
Each argues that their experience prepares them for the county’s top financial office.
Kaaoush says her experience “directly matches the responsibilities of the treasurer’s office,” pointing to her role helping manage Superior’s $37 million budget as a councilmember. On her website, she also cites fiscal work as an Army veteran and U.S. diplomat, overseeing budgeting and financial controls for executive teams operating in conflict zones. “My career has focused on public service, fiscal responsibility, and accountability, often in moments when the stakes were high and the margin for error was small,” she wrote.
Friend, who has worked as an administrative law judge, federal appellate court clerk and pro bono immigration attorney, makes a similar case. “I’ve spent the past 30 years working in fields where attention to detail, filing deadlines, documentation, and fiscal management are paramount,” she wrote on her website. “I kid you not — punching holes in the wrong spot on the pages in an immigration court filing can get an asylum seeker’s case tossed … I will not shy away from triple checking our records,” she wrote.
Like Kaaoush, Friend argues her experience overseeing public resources as a city councilmember prepares her for the role.
Van Dusen highlights over 30 years in tax and business law, along with roles on Longmont’s Planning and Zoning Commission and several community boards, including for El Comite de Longmont. On his website, he lists five goals for the office, including climate-resilient fiscal planning, support for affordable housing and prioritizing ethical investments.
“I’ve dedicated my career to turning complex fiscal challenges into community wins,” he wrote. “As a seasoned attorney and public servant, I’m ready to safeguard your tax dollars with integrity and innovation.”
Since each needs at least 30% of the party assembly delegates’ votes, it is possible, but unlikely, that they will all get a spot on the ballot.
Uncontested races and their Democratic candidates
- House District 10 State Representative: Junie Joseph
- House District 12 State Representative: Kyle Brown
- County Commissioner District 3: Ashley Stolzmann
- County Clerk & Recorder: Molly Fitzpatrick
- County Assessor: Cynthia Braddock
- County Coroner: Jeff Martin
- County Surveyor: Kayce Keane
- County Sheriff: Curtis Johnson
State Democratic races and their candidates
- Governor: Michael Bennet, William Moses, Eric Underwood, Phil Weiser, Carmen Broesder, Christian Komor, Anthony Martinez
- Attorney General: Michael Dougherty, Jena Griswold, David Seligman, Hetal Doshi
- Secretary of State: Jessie Danielson, Amanda Gonzalez
- State Treasurer: Jeff Bridges, Jerry Ditullio, John Mikos, Brianna Titone
- US Senate: Karen Breslin, Julie Gonzales, John Hickenlooper, Brashad Hasley
- Congressional District 2 US House Rep: Joe Neguse, Cinque Mason
- CU Regent, District 2: Edie Hooton, Kubs Lalchandani, Kris Larsen, Murray Smith
Correction, March 9, 2026 8:24 am: A previous version of this story misspelled Jillaire McMillan's name Jilaire McMillan.
Correction, March 6, 2026 10:21 am: This story was revised to include Colton Jonjak Plahn in the list of District 19 candidates.