Jena Griswold Skips AG Forum as Rivals Demand Accountability

The air in the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver held that specific, heavy stillness you only find in places where people are trying to prove they belong. It was a Wednesday evening in June, and the room was full of lawyers, activists, and curious locals waiting to see who would step into the breach left by term-limited Attorney General Phil Weiser. But the real story wasn't just who was speaking; it was who wasn't.

Jena Griswold, the Secretary of State many consider the front-runner, stayed home.

While she skipped the forum hosted by The Colorado Sun, three other Democrats took the stage, and they didn't just debate policy — they debated the very architecture of accountability. It’s easy to assume that skipping a debate is just a scheduling conflict, a minor hiccup in a busy calendar. But Hetal Doshi, Michael Dougherty, and David Seligman argued that it was a structural flaw in Griswold’s campaign strategy. They suggested that if you’re going to be the state’s top lawyer, tasked with taking on the legal machinery of figures like Donald Trump, you can’t afford to treat the public’s right to question you as optional.

Doshi, a former federal prosecutor, didn't mince words. She argued that Griswold’s absence wasn't just about avoiding tough questions; it was about avoiding a record. "It’s not just a refusal to answer unscripted questions, it is also a lack of accountability for a record," Doshi said. It’s a sharp critique for a state where transparency is supposed to be the currency of politics. If you’re running for the job that represents us in court, why hide from the people who hired you?

Then there was Michael Dougherty, the Boulder County District Attorney. He looked out at the crowd and framed the issue in terms of experience. "I think it’s about showing up and answering questions about our experience as lawyers and leaders," Dougherty said. "Because if you’re going to say you’re taking Donald Trump to court, it can’t be your first time walking into a courtroom, and you can’t skip every candidate forum and debate where the people are owed answers from us."

There’s a warmth to the idea of accountability, but it’s also a cold, hard requirement. Dougherty’s point was that leadership isn't just about winning; it’s about being visible, being tested, and being ready. If you skip the forum, you skip the test. And in a race that could determine how Colorado’s legal shield is held up for the next four years, that matters.

The other two candidates offered their own distinct flavors of ambition. David Seligman, a consumer and workers’ rights attorney, positioned himself as the loyalist who would vote for Griswold "without hesitation" if she secured the nomination. He respected her position, even if he respected the process more. Doshi, meanwhile, promised to hunt white-collar corruption, while Dougherty pledged to protect the environment. Each had a different texture to their vision, but they shared a common skepticism about the woman who stayed away.

They also didn't let the vote-counting get too comfortable. All three downplayed the idea that splitting the vote would hand the nomination to Griswold on a silver platter. They argued that the field was open, that the voters were paying attention, and that a front-runner who doesn't show up isn't necessarily a winner.

The stakes here are tangible. The winner of this June 30 primary will face the Republican nominee in November. On the GOP side, you have El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen and David Wilson, the lawyer who represented Tina Peters in her unsuccessful recount lawsuit. Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who served nearly 20 months in prison for orchestrating an elections system security breach, was freed this month after Governor Jared Polis commuted her sentence — a move all three Democratic candidates said they objected to. It’s a small detail, but it sets the tone. This isn't just about who gets the title; it’s about how the state’s legal engine will handle the controversies that keep us up at night.

As the forum wrapped up, the room began to empty, the hum of conversation fading into the quiet of the university halls. You could feel the weight of the decision settling on the attendees, a quiet anticipation that the next few weeks would define not just a primary, but the direction of Colorado’s legal future. The lights in the Korbel School dimmed, leaving only the exit signs glowing red, guiding people out into the cool Colorado night, each carrying a different version of who they thought should hold the fort.