DENVER — Colorado Republicans will elect a new state party leader, as well as other party officers, this weekend.
Six candidates are running to succeed current Chairman Dave Williams, who is not seeking re-election. The candidates are former Routt County Treasurer Brita Horn; former State Representative and Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine; the Republican Party’s director of special initiatives Darcy Schoening; former State Rep. Richard Holtorf; Colorado Springs business owner Jeremy Goodall; and former Mesa County Republican Party Chair Kevin McCarney.
Republicans haven’t controlled the Colorado Senate since 2018 and the Colorado House of Representatives since 2012. A Republican hasn’t served as Colorado governor since 2006. Republicans also haven’t won a single statewide election since 2016.
“I really don’t know what took us off course,” said Valdamar Archuleta, a former congressional candidate and former president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado.
Archuleta said if his party ever hopes to reverse course in Colorado, it has to have leadership that can bring people together.
“There is kind of a schism in the party right now. There's a lot of infighting,” he said. “Sometimes working together is a little difficult for us.”
Archuleta will join other members of the party's central committee this weekend to elect a new party chair.
All six of the candidates promise to strengthen the party and make it more competitive.
"It is going to be difficult, and I think the new chair is going to have to focus on winning,” said Archuleta. "And when I say by winning, I'm not saying we're going to turn Colorado red in 2026 or even 2028. It's going to be a slow process."
Electing a new chair means the party will also close a tumultuous chapter under Williams, who decided not to run for re-election after a controversial two-year term.
"Dave is a strong personality. He has some very strong opinions,” said Archuleta.
Williams repeatedly clashed with fellow Republicans over party resources and angered many by endorsing candidates in the primaries. He survived an attempt to oust him as chairman last summer, following anti-LGBTQ messages he shared in party emails.
"He just did not do a very good job of bringing us together,” said Archuleta. "Some of the things that were said, some of the directions the party went, some people have left the party altogether."
Despite the controversies with Wiliams last year, Colorado Republicans were able to flip the 8th Congressional District seat when Gabe Evans defeated Yadira Caraveo. They also picked up a few seats in the Colorado legislature, enough to end the Democratic Party’s supermajority in the House. Republicans also picked up seats on the state board of education.
Republicans also outpaced Democrats in new party registrations. From Feb. 2024 to Feb. 2025, more than 33,000 Coloradans registered as Republicans compared to 21,000 who registered as Democrats, according to data from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. However, the number of Coloradans who registered as unaffiliated (125,000) far outpaced both parties.
Archuleta chooses to remain optimistic about his party’s future. He said no matter who wins the chairmanship, he will be wishing for their success.
"Even if it's someone who maybe is not my favorite candidate but they win, I still want them to succeed,” said Archuleta. “And if they start to do things that are being successful, I will be happy."
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