April 14, 2026 12:28 PM UTC

The Ads are Here!

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• by: Colorado Pols

The 2026 election cycle kicked off the morning after Election Day 2024. But for many political enthusiasts, the election season doesn’t really begin until the television ads start rolling.

With the June 30 Primary Election exactly 11 weeks away, the ads are starting to roll in the top contested races in Colorado. While the campaign commercials below aren’t the first of the cycle — that distinction belongs to gubernatorial hopeful Phil Weiser — this week seems to be the unofficial beginning of the ad blitz.

Here’s a look at the first round of commercials coming to a screen near you…

[NOTE: If the ad isn’t on YouTube, we probably didn’t see it]

Phil Weiser (Governor)

Attorney General Phil Weiser was the first candidate for any Colorado office to launch a significant advertisement back in January. His campaign for Governor is out with a new spot targeting Democratic voters on immigration.

Diana DeGette (CO-01)

Incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette — the longest-serving Member of Congress from Colorado — is facing a competitive Primary challenge from Milat Kiros and (if she qualifies for the ballot via petition signatures) Wanda James. DeGette’s first campaign commercial of the cycle highlights abortion rights, affordability, and Medicare for All, while also positioning the incumbent as a reliable MAGA fighter.

Manny Rutinel (CO-08)

Democrat Manny Rutinel is going after Primary opponent Shannon Bird on the issue of ICE enforcement efforts, pointing to a Bird ad that we haven’t seen ourselves.