Victor Marx, a self-described ‘high-risk humanitarian,’ will win GOP nomination for Colorado governor, CNN projects

By David Wright, Kaanita Iyer, CNN

(CNN) — Marine veteran Victor Marx, whose wild claims – including saying he was forced to kill a man at age 7 – have drawn widespread attention and significant skepticism, will win the Republican nomination for governor in Colorado, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.

Marx, a ministry leader and martial arts enthusiast with a devoted social media following, prevailed over two more experienced rivals, state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer and state Rep. Scott Bottoms, both of whom have said they wouldn’t endorse him if he’s the party’s nominee.

He faces difficult odds, however, in the general election to succeed outgoing Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in a state that has not elected a Republican governor in more than two decades. Marx will face Democrat Phil Weiser, the state’s attorney general, in November.

At his election night party on June 30, Marx described his campaign as “nothing shy of beyond incredible,” saying he had taken on Democrats and Republicans alike who brought up questions about his life story.

“This is a battle of good and evil. This isn’t so much parties anymore,” Marx told the crowd. “This is about Coloradans who care and want common sense, less government, stop the spending, get crime under control, let law enforcement do their job, make our state affordable, get people out of the addiction cycle. All these things that matter, that’s what we’ve talked about from the beginning. Our opponents have simply attacked me the entire time.”

A self-described “high-risk humanitarian” who leads an anti-human trafficking nonprofit and a practitioner of “Cajun Karate,” Marx’s colorful personality resonated with grassroots conservatives, powering him past skeptics who raised questions about his claims, which range from rescuing abuse victims to ordering an airstrike targeting ISIS.

In an interview with local news outlet 9News in May, Marx insisted he was telling the truth but often declined to provide details, such as how he allegedly ordered the airstrike.

When asked if that man he claimed to have been forced to kill as a child is the only person he has killed, Marx paused before responding: “Well, I would say, as a child, yes.”

“But I’ve been in other situations where, you know, possibly, people or persons died as a result of me defending myself and other countries,” he added. Pressed if he thought he had killed people as an adult, Marx asked, “Does it matter?”

He also faced scrutiny over a claim on his campaign website that said “his teams have served over 45,000 women and children, many rescued from captivity and given a second chance at life,” which was later removed. Marx suggested that the line could have come from an independent contractor when the website was first built.

When pressed about how many women and children he has saved, Marx said there is “no need to” give the number out, pointing to “security reasons.”

“I would say it’s more than one and less than a bunch,” Marx quipped.

Marx has also said he has performed hundreds of prayers to “set people free” from “demonic oppression,” which he argues is different from exorcisms. He told 9News that he doesn’t charge for the service, which he conducts in person and over the phone.

When asked if he’ll continue to perform these acts if elected governor, Marx said, “I would never stop praying for people.”

Last month, at the lone debate he attended, Marx faced a pile-on from his GOP opponents.

Bottoms, an evangelical pastor elected to the state legislature in 2022, doubled down on his previous comments calling Marx a con man, saying, “I also said he was corrupt and I also said he lies and he lied to me personally quite a few times, and so I stand by that. I can’t put somebody like that anymore than I can put a Democrat into the governor’s seat.”

Leaning into hardline conservative issues, Bottoms focused his campaign on the state’s rural residents, parental rights and culture war debates, and limiting the size and scope of government. But he’s faced scrutiny of his own in the race, as he repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that state lawmakers are participating in a child sex trafficking ring.

Kirkmeyer, a veteran of Colorado GOP politics who previously served as a Weld County commissioner and was seen as the more traditional candidate in the race, also cast Marx as a “fraud.”

“He makes up these tall tales, these tall stories, and I just don’t believe them,” she said. Directly addressing him, she added, “I can’t trust you. You’re unfit. You’re unqualified.”

When pressed by moderator Kyle Clark of 9News about how voters could trust he was telling the truth, Marx said, “I can’t help it if I’ve had an extraordinary life,” and argued that thousands of people could testify to his claims.

Amid a chorus of criticism, however, Marx was able to separate himself from his rivals to his advantage, gradually overtaking Kirkmeyer’s early lead as votes continued to be tallied.

“Listen, it ain’t over,” Marx said to cheers and appreciative laughter on election night as he told supporters they would have to wait to see who won. “And if you know our life story, this is our normal.”

The-CNN-Wire
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