Amanda Gonzalez won the Colorado Democratic primary for secretary of state on June 30, receiving 62.9% of the vote to defeat state Sen. Jessie Danielson, who garnered 37%, according to results called by the Associated Press at 7:25 p.m. The Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder will advance to the November general election as the Democratic nominee, facing Republican James Wiley, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary.
Gonzalez, 41, was elected Jefferson County clerk and recorder in 2022 and oversees elections in a county with more than 450,000 registered voters. She is an attorney and adjunct law professor at the University of Denver, and previously served as executive director of Colorado Common Cause, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on government transparency. Throughout her campaign, Gonzalez emphasized her hands-on experience running elections in Jefferson County and her work as an elections attorney.
Danielson, 48, a state senator from Wheat Ridge who previously served two terms in the Colorado House, campaigned on her record developing Colorado election laws during her legislative tenure. She also served as state director for America Votes and helped pass a 2013 law that allowed statewide mail-in voting. Both candidates positioned themselves as fierce defenders of Colorado’s mail-in ballot system, which has faced attacks from President Donald Trump.
The secretary of state office, which oversees elections and voting laws, has become an increasing focus of national attention as the Trump administration and election-integrity activists have brought intense legal and political scrutiny to the position. Gonzalez will enter the general election with a significant advantage: Republicans have not won a statewide race in Colorado since 2016, according to Colorado Newsline.
The Democratic nominee will replace Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who is term-limited in that position. Griswold won the Democratic primary on the same night for state attorney general, according to The Colorado Sun.
Sources
- Colorado Newsline — Amanda Gonzalez’s primary win, vote share (62.9% vs. 37%), Republican advantage in general election, and context on secretary of state office scrutiny.
- The Colorado Sun — Gonzalez’s background as Jefferson County clerk, her age (41), her work as attorney and adjunct professor, Danielson’s background and legislative record, details on mail-in voting system defense, and Griswold’s transition to attorney general race.
- Ballotpedia — Gonzalez’s career experience as attorney, executive director, and adjunct professor, and her election as Jefferson County Clerk.
