Greg Lopez Pivots to Unaffiliated Bid for Colorado Governor

Greg Lopez has entered the Colorado gubernatorial race as an unaffiliated candidate, a move he says is driven by a majority of voters who no longer identify with the two major parties. With four days remaining until the election, Lopez is campaigning on the premise that voters are tired of partisan gridlock and want a leader who focuses on practical governance rather than political ideology.

Lopez cited recent polling and personal conversations to support his candidacy. He noted that 50 percent of active voters in Colorado are unaffiliated, compared with 25 percent who identify as Democrats and 23 percent as Republicans. This demographic shift, he argued, indicates a clear demand for a candidate who operates outside traditional party lines. He described his platform as simple: put people over politics, do no harm, and implement policies that work.

The campaign’s financial focus centers on a return to zero-based budgeting. Lopez criticized the state’s current reliance on baseline budgeting, a method he said allows agencies to assume previous spending levels are permanent. He proposed starting every fiscal year from zero and requiring each agency to justify every line item. He identified specific areas for review, including the growth in the governor’s office and the attorney general’s office, where employee counts have increased in recent years.

Lopez pointed to the state’s handling of pandemic-era revenue as a case study in fiscal mismanagement. He argued that one-time federal funds were used to fund ongoing programs, creating a budgetary imbalance that has persisted for two to three years. He stated that he will not cut services indiscriminately but will eliminate programs that fail to show measurable results. He also acknowledged that businesses are leaving the state, which reduces the revenue base, making careful spending even more critical.

His background includes serving as a U.S. representative, the director of the Small Business Administration, and the mayor of Parker. In the interview, he detailed his experience with infrastructure costs, noting that 60,000 to 70,000 dollars of every new home’s cost goes toward water and sewer taps. He proposed a plan to create 25,000 starter homes priced around 235,000 dollars to address the housing shortage.

Lopez addressed the concern that his candidacy might split the vote between Republican Victor Marx and Democratic Phil Weiser. He countered that voters choose individuals, not parties, and that his background as a former Democrat and president of the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce allows him to appeal across the political spectrum. He described himself as a compassionate conservative who remains focused on small business, the poor, and community needs.

He emphasized his intention to reduce the size of government to leave more money in the hands of taxpayers. Lopez stated that government does not generate wealth but redistributes it from individuals and businesses. He expressed a preference for a smaller state government that allows residents to retain their earnings, arguing that this approach will help stretch their dollars further in a high-cost environment.

Lopez concluded his remarks by highlighting his personal history. He noted that his father had a sixth-grade education and his mother a tenth-grade education, both of whom worked in fields. He said this background keeps him connected to the working class and informs his desire to improve quality of life without scoring political points.