Democratic State Sen. Jeff Bridges announced Tuesday that he will run in the primary election for state treasurer in 2026.

The current state treasurer, Dave Young, is term-limited.

Bridges, of Greenwood Village, has represented Senate District 26 since 2020. He is the fourth Democrat to announce for the treasurer’s position, joining state Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada, current Jeffco treasurer Jerry DiTullio and management consultant John Mikos of Monument.

Bridges is in his third year on the Joint Budget Committee and will be chair in 2025. The JBC is completing its work on the 2025-26 budget. One of the challenges is closing a $1.2 billion shortfall.

When he joined the JBC in 2023, he told Colorado Politics it was among the biggest challenges he’d ever faced as a lawmaker.

“This is a budget no one really likes, but everyone can be proud of,” Bridges has said.

Bridges’ announcement included a long list of endorsements from current and former lawmakers, including former U.S. Sen. and Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver; former JBC colleague and current Jeffco Commissioner Rachel Zenzinger; current JBC Vice-chair Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster; and fellow JBC member Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. He also has drawn endorsements from former state Sen. Jack Tate, R-Centennial.

In his announcement, Bridges said that as chair of the JBC, “I think every day about how to make sure your tax dollars get the best possible return. Instead of parking your tax dollars in Wall Street securities and Washington T-bills, as your next Treasurer, I’ll put your money to work right here at home where you can see and feel the difference.”

He pledged to invest in housing, infrastructure and clean energy projects.

“While Washington creates chaos, we’ll use the state’s fiscal resources to protect our land, water, and people regardless of federal dysfunction,” Bridges said.

Bridges is in his ninth year in the legislature. He was first elected to the House in 2016 and served until 2019, when a vacancy committee chose him to replace Sen. Daniel Kagan, D-Englewood, who resigned over allegations of repeatedly using a women’s restroom.

Bridges was elected to the Senate for his first full term in 2020 and re-elected last November to a second term.

He holds a master’s degree in divinity from Harvard. Bridges attended Littleton public schools, graduated from Arapahoe High School and holds a bachelor’s in political science from Kenyon College in Ohio, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School.

Bridges worked as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and as the associate vice president of public affairs of the Union Theological Seminary in New York.

He is the son of Barbara Bridges and Rutt Bridges, who founded the BigHorn Center. He is a former gubernatorial candidate and was part of the 2004 gang of four, which included now-Gov. Jared Polis helped Democrats take control of the state House for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Jeff Bridges is married to AnnMarie Lynn Micikas. They welcomed a son, Kit, in 2024.

In a 2023 profile, Bridges, who is known for his sense of humor, noted he is often kidded about the actor Jeff Bridges, especially on X, given that Sen. Bridges’ X handle is @jeffbridges and the actor’s is @TheJeffBridges.