Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell will run for Colorado governor as a Republican candidate in 2026. 

Mikesell filed his affidavit declaring his candidacy Wednesday. His campaign website says Colorado is in crisis, highlighting issues including the state budget, water, housing, mental health and immigration. 

“Our policies will bring Coloradoans together not divide them,” Mikesell’s candidacy announcement says. “I will sign laws brought to my desk that fix problems and will veto laws that impact on our freedoms or seek to take away local control and our rights.”

Mikesell was the last county sheriff in Colorado to have a so-called 287(g) agreement with federal authorities allowing his office to detain people on civil immigration violations after the Colorado Legislature passed a law banning the practice. 

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The agreement allowed deputies in the sheriff’s department to make immigration-related arrests for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement after undergoing a four-week immigration law training. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado sued Mikesell in 2019 challenging his office’s continued engagement with ICE, and the two parties entered a joint agreement concluding the years-long case at the end of January. It allowed Mikesell to continue to operate under the 287(g) agreement, but with specific directions on what deputies working with ICE could and could not do. 

The Republican primary for governor will be a crowded race, with candidates including state Sen. Mark Baisley, state Rep. Scott Bottoms, Brighton Fire Chief Brycen Garrison, third-time candidate Jason Clark, former 5th Congressional District candidate Joshua Griffin, Stevan Gess, Jon Gray-Ginsberg, Alexander Mugatu and Jim Rundberg. 

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is the only Democrat to have announced his candidacy for governor so far. Other potential Democratic candidates include Secretary of State Jena Griswold, U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow and former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar. 

A Republican has not been elected governor in Colorado since 2002. 

Mikesell did not respond to a Newsline request for comment ahead of publication.