Pastor's Political Ascent
Scott Bottoms, Colorado Governor hopeful, infuses religion into campaign amid scrutiny.
Anonymous
Scott Bottoms, an evangelical pastor and Colorado state representative, is running for governor on a simple premise: God told him to. He won the top spot on the Republican primary ballot in April 2026, pulling over 62% of the delegate vote at the state GOP assembly The Colorado Sun. With two weeks left until the primary, he leads the Republican field — but political experts say his path to the governor's mansion is a steep one.
Bottoms, who serves as lead pastor at the Church at Briargate in Colorado Springs, has framed his entire campaign around faith. "I am not a politician; I am a shepherd," he has said. But in a state where unaffiliated voters make up 48.2% of the electorate Colorado Secretary of State, his deeply religious message faces a hard test outside the Republican base.
A Thin Legislative Record Behind a Bold Candidacy
Bottoms has served four years in the Colorado House. In that time, he has been the prime sponsor of exactly one bill. That bill, introduced in 2023, created an "In God We Trust" state license plate. It only passed after Republican leadership folded it into a larger transportation package Colorado Newsline. Critics call it a symbolic gesture. Supporters see it as a stand for religious visibility.
His fundraising reflects a narrow coalition. Bottoms raised $210,000 in the first quarter of 2026, mostly from small donors in El Paso County. The leading Democratic candidate raised $2.4 million in the same period, according to TRACER campaign finance records. National GOP donors have already signaled they may withhold money from Colorado if Bottoms wins the primary Politico.
Controversial Remarks Put Bottoms Under Fire
In April 2024, Bottoms made remarks on the House floor linking transgender healthcare to "demonic" influences and pedophilia The Denver Post. The claims drew sharp rebukes from Democrats and some moderate Republicans. There is no evidence to support his assertions about child trafficking that he has repeated on the campaign trail.
Democratic State Representative Brianna Titone, Colorado's first openly transgender legislator, has been one of his loudest critics. "Representative Bottoms uses his pulpit to dehumanize Coloradans rather than help them," she said. Some faith leaders have also pushed back. "The mixing of the Gospel with specific partisan vitriol is a concern for many of us," said Rev. Amanda Henderson of the Iliff School of Theology.
GOP Base Loves Him. General Election Voters May Not.
Bottoms dominated the April 2026 state GOP assembly, winning 62% of delegate support. His nearest rival got just 24% — not enough to reach the 30% threshold for automatic ballot access The Colorado Sun. That kind of grassroots strength shows his grip on the party's most committed voters. But those voters are a small slice of the full electorate.
"Bottoms is the ultimate 'base' candidate," said Seth Masket, Director of the Center on American Politics at the University of Denver. "His path in a general election is almost non-existent in a state where unaffiliated voters reject religious-heavy rhetoric" The Denver Post. Colorado Democrats hold every statewide office and have held the governorship for nearly 20 years. Cook Political Report rates the race as "Solid Democratic" largely because of Bottoms' primary success.
Business Groups Worry Culture Wars Crowd Out Real Issues
Beyond electoral math, some in the Colorado business community are uneasy. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has expressed quiet concern that Bottoms' focus on cultural issues could deter tech companies from moving to the state Denver Business Journal. His campaign has centered on dismantling what he calls the "Polis Legacy" — referring to outgoing Democratic Governor Jared Polis, who is term-limited.
Dave Williams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, remains firmly in Bottoms' corner. "Scott represents the true heart of the Republican base, not the establishment donor class," Williams has said. But moderate Republicans warn the ticket could cause "down-ballot carnage" in November, threatening Republican candidates in competitive state legislative races Colorado Newsline.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
4
Articles
3
Reach
4
A
AnonymousAuthor
