Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee Victor Marx chooses running mate

Colorado Republican Gubernatorial Nominee Victor Marx has selected retired Marine Col. George Markert as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Marx says that the former U.S. Senate candidate "is a man of character, integrity and proven leadership."

The Virginia Beach, Va., native attended Virginia Tech and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines in 1993. Markert served as a logistics officer and became a CNO Fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations' Strategic Studies Group before his retirement. According to the Marines, he holds a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and a Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

In a social media post announcing Markert as his running mate, Marx said:

"I'm proud to announce retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel George Markert as my choice for Lieutenant Governor.

George brings more than 30 years of leadership experience, including commanding large organizations, managing complex operations, and delivering results under pressure.

He is a servant leader who shares our commitment to making Colorado safer, more affordable, and more accountable.

We are not simply building a campaign - we are building a team prepared to govern.

Together, we're going to get Colorado working better."

As the Republican candidate, Marx is running against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, and former Republican congressman Greg Lopez. Lopez is now running as an independent candidate.