Ousted Colorado GOP chair cites 'blackmail attempts' in resignation letter

Colorado Republican Party Chairwoman Brita Horn is out after a tumultuous period of infighting, low fundraising and general anger from the party's activist base.

Colorado Public Radio reported that her resignation letter cites some of the challenges she's faced, including "threats of violence, blackmail attempts, and continued efforts to fracture our party further.” She notes that these were all part of the effort to fracture the GOP in the state.

The chair of the Colorado Hispanic Republicans was behind the efforts to have Horn removed.

“Brita has actually united the party against her,” said Raymond Garcia in an interview before Horn announced her resignation.

He alleged that she mismanaged money, didn't follow rules, and that he had filed a lawsuit against her.

"Dumpster fire is the only thing I can think of. I have never seen the Colorado GOP this messed up. We have no money, no donations, and no one wants to donate and why would they," said Garcia.

Horn touched on the allegations in the letter, CBS News reported, saying, "Electing more Republicans should never place someone in the crosshairs of being on the receiving end of lawsuits, verbal abuse, personal attacks, defamation, libel and slander."

“We cannot allow this party to be weaponized against our efforts to elect more Republicans,” Horn wrote in the resignation letter. “With great sorrow, I will be resigning from my role as Chairman of the Republican Party, effective April 17, 2026, following the Republican State Assembly.”

She continued, writing that there was a concern that if she resigned before the event, she feared it wouldn't be successful.

The letter also acknowledged the "tremendous divide within our party" that she said has turned Republicans against each other.

The "divide has too often been marked by vitriol and hostility," she complained.

I Heart Radio host Ross Kaminsky invited Horn onto his show Friday, where she said that she was threatened in a phone call on Thursday.

Horn said that from the very beginning, she faced vitriol.

Co-host Jeana Gondek asked Horn whether she knew where the phone call threatening her came from and she acknowledged she did. They both were concerned about the threats of violence against her, and wondered if the threats were coming from Democratic Party members or constituents, or whether they were coming from the GOP itself.

KUSA reported that the past six Republican Party chairs have lasted for about a year or less, and Horn is simply the latest.