Update: Eric Walker, spokesman for the state Democratic Party, provided Colorado Politics a statement about Underwood’s assertions:

“Per our charter, the Colorado Democratic Party is neutral in open-seat Democratic primaries, and we take this requirement extremely seriously.”

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Original post:

Erik Underwood thinks Colorado Democrats are pushing him out of the governor’s race much same way they pushed Bernie Sanders out of the presidential race last year, he tells Colorado Politics.

The group suspicion is normal in a party fragmented by nine candidates in Democratic primary next year. More than that, Underwood was a Republican last year when he mounted a short run for the U.S. Senate.

Underwood thinks he brings moderate ideas to the party, and that will be attractive to unaffiliated voters, who will be allowed to cast primary ballots for the first time next year.

“I believe that party officials have been rigging the system against my candidacy, because they believe I’m dangerous in the June 26th primary, which unaffiliated voters can now vote for either a Democrat or Republican,” Underwood said.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Underwood hasn’t reported raising or spending any money yet, so that makes him a low target to torpedo in a crowded field at this early stage.

Nonetheless, Underwood showed Colorado Politics a string of Facebook posts in which young Democrats criticized his policy to bring undocumented immigrants “out of the shadows” by registering them with the state.

Another local party official, Underwood said, had suggested or admitted trying to keep his name off the ballot in her House district.

In October Underwood wrote to state party chairwoman Morgan Carroll asking her to intervene because party organizations in several counties were not including him in events.

“It has to stop!” Underwood wrote to Carroll. “I am asking for your help as our state party leader to put a stop and end to whatever is going on. All of the County Dem forums, meet and greets, or other affiliated events should be even-handed. Period. If a invite snub happens once, OK. If it happens 2, 3, 4 , 5 times, now we have a problem. I am really trying my best to not assume any assumptions, but I can’t deny that something perhaps concerted is going on.

“I know that I switched parties, but I am a Democrat fighting for our ideas. I should be an asset to the Party and valued. I will not be made out as ‘other’ in this party or campaign. I am here to stay. Let me be clear, I am not accusing you of anything, in fact I am reaching out to you because I believe that you are fair, and I also believe you will not tolerate what is going on. Not only do I have great ideas and actual plans for Colorado, if elected, I would be the first governor of color. That would be a bonus history making achievement that everyone in Colorado could celebrate. There are a lot of Coloradans celebrating and appreciating the fact that I am in this race. I am also getting a fair amount of press, national and international.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct Eric Walker’s title.