Victor Marx, a Republican Marine veteran running for governor of Colorado, has built an all-Marine ticket with retired Col. George Markert to confront what he calls a growing democratic socialist movement in the state. He emphasizes public safety, fiscal responsibility and a no-nonsense approach to governing, pitching military discipline and accountability as the cure for crumbling local leadership.
Marx frames his campaign as a direct rebuttal to ideological trends he sees sweeping the Democratic left. “There’s never been a successful socialism program, and I’ll say socialism, it’s just a transitionary word for communism. Let’s just say it for what it is,” he told reporters, blunt and unapologetic. That line has become a central talking point as he draws a clear contrast with opponents who embrace progressive priorities.
He secured the Republican nod in June after running on public safety, social conservatism and the rising cost of living, themes that resonate with voters worried about streets and budgets. The same primary season delivered shockwaves on the other side, when democratic socialist Melat Kiros upset a longtime incumbent in a neighboring race. Those results have Marx arguing that Colorado could be reshaped by well-organized progressive networks unless voters push back.
To answer that challenge, Marx picked retired Marine Col. George Markert as his running mate, creating an all-Marine ticket meant to symbolize toughness and steady leadership. “People know what they’re going to get when they get Marines. We’ve got hard foreheads, steely spines. And high integrity,” he said, summing up the image he wants to project. Markert’s résumé includes more than three decades in the Corps with senior roles at U.S. Central Command and the 2nd and 4th Marine Logistics Groups, credentials Marx highlights constantly on the trail.
After uniformed service, Markert moved into the private sector, running major infrastructure field operations across North America, which Marx uses to underline competence beyond military life. Marx also points to his own work outside politics as proof he understands communities and faith-based outreach through All Things Possible Ministries. Together they cast themselves as outsiders who blend real-world leadership with a commitment to conservative values.
Marx is explicit about the threat he believes the Democratic Socialists of America poses to Colorado. He described them as “organized, they’re well-funded, they are focused on reshaping Colorado from the top down.” That characterization feeds into his pitch that this election is a simple choice between preserving order and advancing a radical agenda.
The DSA’s platform includes ideas such as the eventual abolition of police, a stance Marx and his allies say puts public safety at the center of the fight. Colorado continues to wrestle with crime figures that make safety a headline issue for many voters; in 2024 the state recorded about 476 violent crimes and 2,593 property crimes per 100,000 residents, roughly 28 percent and 41 percent higher, respectively, than national rates calculated by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics. Those numbers drive the urgency in Marx’s messaging and keep crime alive as a campaign wedge.
Marx has aimed his criticism squarely at incumbent Democrats for what he calls soft results and big spending with little to show for it. Of Colorado’s current leadership he said, “[H]e hasn’t made our state safer. It’s softer on crime, and we’ve experienced it,” a pointed line directed at his opponent’s record. He frames the choice bluntly: “We’re one election away. It’s either me, or it’s a Democrat. And I lay the DSA at the Democrats’ feet. It didn’t come through the Republican Party or Independents. It came through the Democrats,” arguing voters must decide which direction the state will take.
For Republican voters who prioritize order, lower costs and stronger families, Marx presents a simple pitch: return to accountable leadership with people who have proven they can lead under pressure. His campaign leans into military symbolism and faith-based roots without softening the message against progressive policy. The coming campaign will test whether that combination can translate into broader appeal across Colorado’s diverse suburbs and cities.
