First-time candidate Victor Marx won the Republican nomination in the race for Colorado governor, edging out state Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer.

The Associated Press called the race shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, nine days after Election Day. Marx won with 39.9% of the vote. Kirkmeyer had 39.4% and state Representative Scott Bottoms came in a distant third with 20.8% of the vote.

Kirkmeyer held a narrow lead immediately following the June 30 primary election, but Marx pulled ahead as county clerk offices counted outstanding ballots. At times, the margin was within the threshold to trigger an automatic recount.

Kirkmeyer entered the race last fall as a state senator from northeastern Colorado with strong support in rural areas.

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“Thank you to every voter, supporter and volunteer who helped us get here,” Marx said in a video message Thursday. “And to those of you who supported someone else in the primary, I want you to hear me clearly: There is a place for you in this campaign.”

Marx, who lives in El Paso County, is the founder of All Things Possible Ministries, a nonprofit that purports to do humanitarian work around the globe. Throughout his primary campaign, he declined to answer questions about the organization’s specific activities and scope of work. He also dodged questions about whether he’s killed people or how many.

Weiser beats Bennet in Democratic primary for Colorado governor, Kirkmeyer in lead

Kirkmeyer acknowledged her loss shortly after the race was called. She previously said she would not support Marx if he secured the nomination.

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“While we came up short in what appears to be the closest Republican gubernatorial primary in Colorado history, I’m grateful for every voter who placed their trust in us,” she said in a statement. “Now the voters will make the final decision in November, and I hope they choose the path that is best for Colorado. I’m still proud of the campaign we ran… and, for the record, I still haven’t killed anyone.”

Marx will face Democratic nominee Phil Weiser, the Colorado attorney general, in the general election in November. In a statement, Weiser called Marx’s nomination a “threat to our state’s values and our future.”

“Governing is serious business, and Coloradans have a clear choice in this race: a politics of showing up, listening, and fighting for the rights and freedoms of all – or a politics of deception, demonization, and distraction,” Weiser said.

Marx mentioned his Democratic opponent in his video.

“Now Phil Weiser, he’s a smart fella — but he represents the current system, because he is part of it,” Marx said. “And that current system has made Colorado more expensive, less safe and harder for regular families to trust government.”

Weiser has the upper hand in November. Colorado voters have not elected a Republican for governor in about five decades.

Greg Lopez, a former Republican congressman who also ran for the Republican governor nomination in 2022, is seeking a spot on the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate.