Aurora, Colorado — Joshua Jered Rodriguez, 41, is once again throwing his hat into the political ring — this time as a Libertarian candidate for governor of Colorado in 2026. Despite being a convicted felon and losing at least seven prior bids for public office, Rodriguez remains undeterred in his pursuit of elected leadership.
Over the years, Rodriguez has sought positions on the Arvada City Council, mayor of Arvada, seats in the U.S. Senate (in both Colorado and Arizona), the U.S. House of Representatives (for Colorado’s 4th and 8th Congressional Districts), and even a bid for President of the United States.
In 2022, Rodriguez made headlines during his congressional campaign when he was arrested for identity theft and cybercrime. According to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office, he later pled guilty to felony identity theft and misdemeanor cybercrime, receiving a three-year deferred judgment and probation.
The case involved fake GoFundMe pages Rodriguez allegedly created to impersonate a woman he was suing for “slander.” The woman had moderated a local Facebook group and removed Rodriguez for using it to solicit campaign donations, prompting Rodriguez to take legal action — a lawsuit he eventually lost.
Rodriguez’s campaign history is also littered with other controversies. In 2018, during a city council run, he was accused of forging an endorsement ad using the name of a known critic. He later claimed he was “catfished” into the incident and even filed — then reportedly withdrew — a lawsuit against a news anchor and media company that reported on the matter.
Further scrutiny followed in 2022 when it was revealed that Rodriguez used a false address on Federal Election Commission filings, violating standard reporting protocols during his congressional runs. While not illegal to run in a district where one doesn’t reside, knowingly filing false information can breach federal election laws.
Still, Rodriguez remains adamant about his purpose.
“I may never win an elected title, but that’s not why I’m there,” he said. “I see a problem and I say it out loud. I keep going and keep going, and fighting and fighting. That’s politics.”
Despite a history of legal trouble and failed campaigns, Rodriguez appears determined to stay in the political spotlight.
