George Brauchler says he’s considering shift to run for Colorado attorney general

DENVER – George Brauchler, the 18th Judicial District Attorney who is currently running for governor, might shift and run for the Colorado attorney general’s seat next year, he told Denver7 Wednesday after current AG Cynthia Coffman jumped into the governor’s race.

Brauchler said he was talking with advisers and others who have previously discussed running for the seat should Coffman decide to run for governor, but had yet to make a final decision.

Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican who was previously the Weld County district attorney, had also previously thought about eyeing the attorney general’s office.

But his spokesman, Kyle Huwa, told Denver7 Wednesday: “Rep. Buck is running for re-election to the 4th [Congressional District].”

With Coffman’s addition to the governor’s race, the field for both Democrats and Republicans grows even more crowded.

Brauchler led the field of Republicans in third-quarter fundraising, bringing in $104,000 in individual contributions. But he ended the quarter with $10,000 less cash-on-hand than Doug Robinson.

And the political action committee linked to Walker Stapleton far outraised all the Republican field, bringing in $625,000 during the quarter. Victor Mitchell is still sitting on more than $2 million after donating most of it to his campaign himself.

In the attorney general’s race, five Democrats have already declared, including Phil Weiser, the former dean of CU Law School; Michael Dougherty, the assistant district attorney for the 1st Judicial District; state Rep. Joe Salazar, Denver attorney Brad Levin, and former prosecutor Amy Padden.