This year’s Democratic contest for Colorado governor may be one of the more consequential primary elections in quite some time.  Given the massive fundraising by both U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser, plus Colorado’s decidedly-blue trend over the past decade, the winner of this contest certainly takes the inside track in the general election.

Wherever two or more Democrats are gathered, there’s a good chance Weiser will be there, too.  That’s the advantage of being the Attorney General who works every day in Colorado while your opponent from the U.S. Senate spends half his time in Washington, D.C.

Although Bennet entered the race after Weiser, he started with a big advantage in name identification from 17 years in the Senate, three statewide elections, and a brief  campaign for President.

Despite winning two statewide elections for Attorney General and filing 64 lawsuits against Donald Trump, Weiser was relegated to a smaller stage and thus lesser known to many Coloradans who don’t eat, sleep and breathe politics.

Weiser, however, earned the topline on the primary ballot because he won the support of progressive party activists while Bennet paid petition circulators to gather enough signatures in his absence.

Likewise, Weiser has successfully navigated Colorado’s restrictive campaign finance laws and outraised Bennet $5.9 million to $4.4 million, as of early May.

Bennet countered indirectly as his supporters have raised another $6.1 million for an independent expenditure committee to support him but which cannot legally coordinate with his campaign.  By contrast, Weiser’s independent effort has raised about $1 million, so far.

What baffles this observer is the odd political chatter that Bennet is obviously better for business than Weiser.  To me, that’s hardly obvious.  Yes, Bennet worked briefly for Phil Anschutz after moving to Colorado, but that’s the only private sector checkmark on his resume and it’s now more than 20 years in hindsight.  With that sole exception, both have made their careers in government or higher education.

One Bennet backer faults Weiser for consistently “aligning with the far-left agenda” of his party.  Yet that seems to be where Bennet routinely falls, as well.  Just look at his record in Congress.

National Federation of Small Business graded key small business votes in the 118th and 119th Congress.  Bennet’s grade was about like my likelihood of hitting a major league pitcher: 0-for-11.

He routinely sided with the extreme left by voting against measures that would make small business tax deductions permanent, ensure Colorado consumers can continue to choose natural-gas water heaters and furnaces to warm our homes, and reduce costs for domestic energy production.

Next, look at who’s supporting Bennet.  He’s been endorsed by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association which routinely supports new bills that invite ever more lawsuits against Colorado businesses and which contribute heavily to Colorado’s worst-in-the-nation insurance affordability crisis.

Trial lawyers are so enamored with Bennet, their association has dumped $775,000 into a group supporting his candidacy, joining former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg among Bennet’s largest big-money backers.

Would class-action and contingency-fee lawyers be showering Bennet with money if they thought he was obviously “better for business”?  Not hardly.  What’s obvious is they believe Bennet will be good for their business.

The litigation lobby has transformed Colorado from one of the best states for business to one of the most expensive states.  Over the past decade, employers and entrepreneurs have left Colorado and taken thousands of jobs elsewhere.  Someone beholden to personal-injury lawyers is hardly the governor Colorado needs to reverse this trend.

By contrast, Weiser recognizes that declining population trends are a warning sign for Colorado’s economic lifeline.  He vows to be a “champion for businesses to … thrive in Colorado.”

With the humility appropriate for someone with a public sector background, he asks, “How can I help?”  That’s refreshing in an era when so many politicians think they have all the answers.

Because we hail from different parties, I have plenty of disagreements with both candidates.  But in the Democratic primary for governor, Weiser seems every bit as strong on business issues as Bennet.

Mark Hillman served as Senate Majority Leader and State Treasurer.