Meet the candidates running to become Colorado's next attorney general

As Coloradans cast their ballots in this year's primary election, one of the most closely watched statewide races is the contest for attorney general.

The attorney general serves as Colorado's chief law enforcement officer, deciding whether the state joins or initiates lawsuits that can shape policy on issues ranging from immigration and public safety to environmental protections and healthcare.

The office also plays a key role in consumer protection, criminal justice, and defending state laws in court. The next attorney general could influence Colorado's approach to surveillance technology like Flock cameras, rising insurance costs, gender-affirming healthcare, data centers, and the future of the Colorado River.

CBS Colorado sat down with nearly every candidate seeking the office to discuss their priorities if elected.

The Democratic primary features Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General Hetal Doshi, consumer protection and workers' rights attorney David Seligman, and Secretary of State Jenna Griswold.

When asked about their priorities for the office, each candidate emphasized different challenges facing Colorado.

Dougherty said environmental protection would be among his top priorities, particularly protecting the state's water resources.

"It's about standing up against the federal government any time they violate the rule of law and hurt Colorado. But water and environmental protection are key priorities for me, and having worked at the AG's office, I know the important role the attorney general plays in protecting our water," Dougherty said.

Seligman said he wants to focus on protecting workers and immigrants while holding powerful interests accountable.

"I am fed up with a system where wealthy and powerful interests play by a completely different set of rules than everybody else, and that's the sort of system that has given rise to the moment of crisis that we're in right now," Seligman said.

When asked about her first day if elected, Doshi said one of her first priorities would be evaluating legal action involving the Trump administration while also addressing affordability concerns facing Coloradans.

"Day one is going to look like focusing on making sure that the lawsuits that we are looking to file against the Trump administration are appropriately handled," She added, "But in addition to that, I think housing, healthcare, and food are day one," Doshi said.

Griswold said her motivations for running for the role include challenging policies from President Donald Trump.

"I'm running for attorney general to stand up to Trump and MAGA to protect our democracy and our fundamental freedoms. As Secretary of State, I helped lead the fight to defend our democracy against Trump," Griswold said.

The Republican primary includes El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen and David Willson, whose campaign website says he is a retired attorney for the U.S. Army. Willson did not respond to CBS Colorado's request for an interview.

Allen said his priorities include public safety, lowering the cost of living, and growing republican leadership in the office.

"The primary focus of my campaign is really focused on public safety and cost of living. We've done a really bad job over the last roughly 10 years of one party being in control of every facet of state government, and we really need some balance and some common sense restored," Allen said.

The race has also highlighted differences in the candidates' legal backgrounds. Several candidates have emphasized their years of courtroom experience, while a CBS Colorado story showed that some of Griswold's court experience may be inflated.

Griswold rejected that criticism, saying, "I'm the candidate with the most actual experience. The Attorney General is not a trial attorney. What the Attorney General is is an executive managing a large office, providing the legal direction, making strategic decisions, and I have that experience that the other candidates, frankly, do not have as much experience in," Griswold said.

The winners of Tuesday's primary will advance to the general election to determine who will become Colorado's next attorney general.