Under newly applicable term limits, incumbent Governor Roy Romer, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election.

Lieutenant Governor Gail Schoettler, ran to succeed Romer, and won the Democratic primary; her running mate, Bernie Buescher, won the lieutenant-gubernatorial primary unopposed.

In the Republican primary, Bill Owens, the State Treasurer, and his eventual running mate, Joe Rogers, won their respective primaries by wide margins.

In the general election, Owens narrowly defeated Schoettler, aided by a strong performance by Republican U.S.

This was also the last election in which Colorado held separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor; following a statutory change in 2000, gubernatorial candidates selected their running mates prior to the primary.