Victor Marx

Marx was born to a man named Karl Marx and a young mother^[3][4] in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he also grew up.^[5][6][4] He has three older siblings, the first of whom was born when Marx's mother was 16.^[4] Marx says he is a survivor of child abuse.^[7] Marx claimed that at age three, his stepfather forced him to behead a cat and wear its carcass on his head.^[8] As a child, Marx moved frequently, living in 17 different homes and attending 14 different schools.^[4]

Marx alleged that at age seven, his abusive stepfather took him to a rural area of Mendenhall, Mississippi, and made him shoot and kill a man. Mississippi sheriffs and police in the area have said there is no record of any unsolved homicides from that time. Marx claimed he contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the local sheriff's office, neither of which could solve the case as Marx was unable to provide many details. There is no evidence that Marx ever contacted authorities.^[6] Marx mentioned in an interview with Colorado news station 9news that he is unsure how many people he has killed, and that he thinks the exact details do not need to be clarified.^[9]

He served for three years in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986. He was inspired to do so after the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings, which killed 241 American personnel.^[6][10] Towards the end of his service in the Marine Corps, Marx reunited with his biological father, who spurred his conversion to Christianity.^[11] Marx was an assistant for three years at James Dobson's Evangelical Christian organization Focus on the Family.^[6]

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Marx founded All Things Possible Ministries in 2003.^[11] Marx claimed on his campaign website that All Things Possible rescued 45,000 women and children from abuse, which was later removed from his campaign website after being disproved.^[12][8] Marx has since declined to give an exact number of survivors saved in order to not "put people in danger".^[8][9]

As a minister and also identifying as an exorcist, Marx has said that he routinely exorcised demons from people, individuals he claimed were possessed due to the influence of pornography or being an unmarried couple living together.^[13][8] In a 2023 podcast, he claimed that he "hunts demons" and recalled a time when his dog identified a demonic presence in a couple resting at a pool where he then exorcised the woman from "five demons that had been assigned to her".^[14]

Marx was reportedly friends with conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk. He has spoken at many Turning Point USA events.^[15]

2026 Colorado gubernatorial campaign

On October 1, 2025, he announced his campaign for governor of Colorado.^[16] Marx has said that his wife encouraged him to do so.^[6] He ran in the Republican primary for the 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election against Barbara Kirkmeyer and Scott Bottoms.^[17][18] Marx won nearly 40% of the vote at the Republican state assembly in April 2026.^[19][20] Marx's campaign has received $2.5 million in donations, more than Kirkmeyer's and Bottoms's campaigns combined.^[6] Marx skipped many of the Republican debates during his campaign, a decision that Paul Teske, a professor of public affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, called "unusual". Marx originally agreed to attend a debate on May 26, 2026. However, one of the debate moderators, KOA NewsRadio host Michael Brown, sent Marx a long list of claims he requested Marx prove. These claims included ministry work in the Middle East and Haiti, a gun battle with ISIS, and his martial arts credentials.^[19] Marx rejected Brown's request, calling it "a staged ambush disguised as a debate", and instead held a counter-rally to the debate.^[19] During the primary campaign, Kirkmeyer and Bottoms criticized Marx for avoiding debates.^[21]

Marx was questioned about his past claims in an interview with 9News anchor Kyle Clark in June 2026. He denied claiming to have performed "more than 130 missions" in 30 countries rescuing women and children or to have called in an airstrike as a civilian that killed 70 ISIS fighters.^[22]

Leading to the June primary, Kirkmyer and Bottoms indicated they would refuse to endorse Marx if he won the GOP nomination. Kirkmeyer believed he was unfit to be governor and a "disaster for our state" while Bottoms said that Marx was a "con man".^[21] Marx narrowly won the June 30 Republican primary with the race called about a week later on July 9, and will face Democratic candidate and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in the November general election.^[23]

Soon after Marx was declared the GOP nominee, he circulated a loyalty pledge so the other Republican candidates can sign to indicate their support for his campaign.^[24] As of July 15, most of the statewide Republican candidates did not sign the pledge.^[25] On July 15, Marx claimed in a talk radio show that former Republican governor Bill Owens endorsed him in the Governor's race, saying "I got a call yesterday that he’s endorsing me". In a statement, Bill Owens responded that he hasn't officially endorsed Marx, saying he intends to wait to see how Marx's campaign unfolds.^[26]

David Corn of Mother Jones has described Marx as a Christian fundamentalist and that many of his political views reflect such influences.^[8] Some Republicans have voiced criticism that Marx has generally avoided giving specifics on policies and not discussing such matters in detail.^[14] During the primary, Marx stated he intentionally avoided detailed policy discussions, saying that voters should focus on his background instead.^[14] According to a Colorado Newsline article, "Along with debates, Marx has largely eschewed offering specifics about the policy agenda he would pursue as governor, decrying the 'empty promises' made by too many politicians on the campaign trail".^[27]

Marx has said if elected as Colorado governor he would cut regulations to expand housing and childcare, as well as increasing energy production to lower gas and utility costs. He has stated a commitment to protecting TABOR in Colorado.^[28] On affordability issues, Colorado Newsline reported that Marx offered a "vague answer" to moderators during a debate then elaborated that he would "negotiate with people to accomplish a greater good."^[27] Marx has proposed a pause on regulations and a cap on property taxes.^[27]

Marx strongly supports the Second Amendment. As Colorado governor, he has said that he would codify Second Amendment rights directly into the Colorado State Constitution in case the federal Second Amendment may be altered.^[29]

Marx opposes Flock Safety cameras.^[29]

In spite of Colorado laws prohibiting such a policy, Marx has stated he wants to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, such as ICE.^[6][28] He intends to oppose sanctuary city policies and establish a "Border-Related Crime Strike Force".^[28] Marx endeavors to launch task forces on fentanyl and trafficking networks.^[6]

Marx has five children and five grandchildren.^[7] Marx met his wife Eileen through a mutual interest in martial arts.^[30] Eileen is a fitness kickboxer. Following their marriage, they opened a gym. A pastor in Honolulu enticed Marx and his wife to move there to start a Christian karate school. Marx spent many years in Hawaii, living there from 1995 to 2001. He began feeling suicidal, and he checked himself into The Queen's Medical Center. While living in Honolulu, his children learned Hawaiian Pidgin.^[4]

In 2023, Marx's brother-in-law, Kenneth Breining, shot at Marx from inside the trailer he was living in on Marx's property. Marx was not hit. Breining was taken to an El Paso County jail and later bonded out. In 2024, Breining was suspected of murdering his girlfriend in Nevada County, California, where he remains in jail.^[6][31]

As of May 20, 2026, Marx has around three million followers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.^[6] Inspired by Lone Wolf McQuade, Marx has posted social media videos in which he disarms people holding dummy firearms.^[28]

• Marx, Victor (2013). With God, All Things Are Possible: The Victor Marx Story. Yeka: Onesimus Publishing. ASIN B0719651HT.
• Marx, Victor (2024). The Dangerous Gentleman: A Call for Men to be Courageous in a Culture of Fear. Yeka: Onesimus Publishing. ISBN 979-8990063235.

• 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election