Anderson wins Colorado GOP secretary of state nomination in rejection of Trump election claims

Republican Pam Anderson is projected to capture her party’s nomination for Colorado secretary of state on Tuesday in a primary that will likely be seen as a rejection of former President Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen, according to The Associated Press.

Anderson, a former Jefferson County clerk and recorder, has repeatedly pushed back against the baseless notion that widespread voter fraud robbed Trump of a second term in the White House. 

That message set her apart from her two primary opponents, including Tina Peters, who echoed Trump’s false claims about the last presidential election. 

Another candidate, Mike O’Donnell, straddled the line between the two, saying he did not have enough information to say whether he believes the election was stolen or not.

The secretary of state role has long taken second billing in statewide elections. But given the role’s outsize importance in election administration, secretary of state races have become highly politicized since 2020. 

Anderson’s win, however, suggests that even Republican voters in Colorado may be ready to move on from Trump’s efforts to relitigate and question the 2020 election. 

With the nomination locked up, Anderson is set to face incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold in November.