Republican · Colorado governor · 2026

Victor Marx

Marx is a former Marine, martial arts instructor and Christian ministry founder.

Victor Marx describes a Louisiana childhood marked by abuse and repeated moves between homes and schools.¹² He and his wife, Eileen, have raised five children and are now grandparents.² Some of their adult children have moved away from Colorado, a circumstance he discusses in explaining his interest in the state’s future.²

Marx joined the Marines in 1983 and served for three years.³ His subsequent working life included ministry in Southern California, running a martial arts gym in Hawaii and three years as an assistant to James Dobson at Focus on the Family.³

He founded Colorado Springs based All Things Possible Ministries, which he describes as providing help to people affected by terrorism, trafficking and violence.⁴² His public profile also includes a podcast and social media audiences built before his campaign.⁴ He won the Republican primary against state Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and state Representative Scott Bottoms.⁴

Running against Democrat Phil Weiser, Marx proposes requiring every state agency to justify spending from scratch, while preserving services for vulnerable people.⁴¹ He would prioritize public safety, water infrastructure and education, and says he wants a working relationship with the Trump administration.⁴ The winner will succeed Governor Jared Polis amid continuing budget pressures; the field also includes unaffiliated former Congressman Greg Lopez.¹

Record and controversies

Rescue claim correction

Marx acknowledged that his campaign’s claim of rescuing more than 45,000 people was wrong and blamed a contractor.⁵ His current campaign biography instead describes 45,000 people as having been served by his teams, including people who needed rescue.²

Public accounts of family incidents and response

Marx described throwing his toddler and shoving his wife; he says the child was uninjured, and both call the latter training.⁶

Contribution findings and proposed penalty

On October 2, a hearing officer recommended a $57,647.16 penalty for 210 campaign contribution violations, including excess individual donations and excess cash donations.⁷ The officer described continued acceptance after warnings and incomplete correction as aggravating factors.⁷ Marx says the errors were corrected and the proposed fine is political, and announced an appeal.⁸ The official docket still labels the matter open and pending a final agency decision; the recommendation is not yet a final penalty.⁹

Reviewed through October 28, 2026. Inclusion reflects the significance and evidence of the matter, with no numerical quota by party. The absence of a note is not a claim that a candidate has never faced criticism.