The 2018 election in Colorado is a high-stakes affair that is expected to break spending records and feature a hefty list of mega-donors from across the nation. The total poured into elections tracked by the state through May 2 neared $56 million, according to a Denver Post analysis of campaign finance records from 2017 and 2018. 2018 candidates for Colorado governor Who is running for governor of Colorado in 2018? The bulk of the big money targets the open governor’s race, where four of the 10 top donors are aligned with Democratic candidate Mike Johnston and promote charter schools.