Democrats continue to outraise, outspend Republican opponents in Colorado statewide races
Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline
Democrats elected to statewide offices in Colorado continue to outraise their Republican opponents in the lead-up to the general election and head into the final two months of campaigning with significantly more cash on hand.
Some of that money comes from the candidates’ own pockets.
Incumbent Democratic Gov. Jared Polis reported over $1.2 million in contributions from August, about $28,000 of which came from individual donors and the rest coming from Polis himself, according to a campaign finance report filed Tuesday. Polis voluntarily limits individual donations to $100 and does not accept money from political action committees.
Polis has spent over $7 million of his own money on his reelection campaign so far. He spent over $20 million on his first campaign for governor in 2018.
Polis reported spending about $2.3 million in August, including $1 million on a media buy and $584,000 on digital advertising. His first TV advertisement began airing this week.
Polis reported about $3.3 million in cash on hand at the end of the one-month reporting period.
His Republican opponent, University of Colorado Regent Heidi Ganahl, reported a fundraising haul of about $256,000 in August. Her campaign spent about $133,000 and ended the month with about $188,000. She put $46,000 towards a $250,000 loan she previously made to her campaign.
SOS race
In the secretary of state race, incumbent Democrat Jena Griswold reported raising nearly $384,000 during the reporting period.
That includes a $10,000 contribution from the AFL-CIO union nonpartisan small donor committee, $8,000 from the Teamsters Local 455 small donor committee, $5,000 from the Colorado State Conference of Electrical Workers small donor committee and $2,000 from abortions-right group Cobalt Advocates.
Griswold spent about $194,000 in August, including a $3,600 list purchase from the campaign of Sol Sandoval, a Democrat who ran and lost in the primary for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
Griswold reported having about $712,000 in cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.
Pam Anderson, Griswold’s Republican opponent, raised nearly $50,000 in August. She accepted $1,250 from the Coloradans for Western Values Leadership PAC, $1,250 from the Associated General Contractors of Colorado Construction Action Committee, $1,250 from the Colorado Farm Bureau Political Committee and $500 from Coloradans for Common Sense.
Anderson spent about $30,000 in August and has about $33,000 in the bank.
Phil Weiser, the incumbent Democratic attorney general, reported raising about $285,000 during the reporting period. He accepted a $13,000 contribution from the AFL-CIO union nonpartisan small donor committee, $6,750 from the Public Education Committee, $6,250 from the Conservation Colorado action Fund and $2,500 from Cobalt Advocates.
Weiser spent about $355,000 in August, including $130,000 on advertising. He ended the month with a little over $1 million in the bank.
Republican attorney general candidate John Kellner raised a bit under $61,000 during the reporting period. He accepted $13,500 from the Apartment Association of Denver Small Donor Committee and $1,250 from the organization’s political committee, as well as a handful of $1,250 donations from real estate professionals.
Kellner also received $1,250 donations from former Republican Sen. Cory Gardner and his wife and another $1,250 from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe O’Dea.
Kellner reported spending about $41,500 during the reporting period and has about $91,000 in cash on hand.
Treasurer race
Incumbent Democratic Treasurer Dave Young raised about $51,000 in August. He received $10,500 from the AFL-CIO union nonpartisan small donor committee, $2,000 from the Fund for Educational Progress and $500 from Cobalt. He also received $500 from the Colorado Bankers Association PAC.
Young spent about $12,500 and has a bit over $72,000 in the bank.
His opponent, Republican Lang Sias, reported raising about $25,000. He accepted $1,250 from the Rural Leadership PAC and $750 from Coloradans from Common Sense. He also received $500 from the Colorado Bankers Association PAC.
Sias spent about $6,500 in August and has about $90,000 in cash on hand.
The next financial reporting deadline for statewide candidates is Sept. 19 and will cover the first two weeks of the month.