The Democratic gubernatorial primary battle in Colorado between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser is starting to get very pricey.
The candidates and the state-level super PACs supporting them had amassed nearly $7 million at the end of September.
The candidates had about $4.6 million in combined campaign cash to begin October, $3 million of which was held by Weiser. Super PACs supporting them also had $2.3 million, with all but $200,000 of that for Bennet.
The major fundraising indicates the battle between Weiser and Bennet will be fierce, with the direction of Colorado up for grabs for the first time in eight years as Gov. Jared Polis leaves office because of term limits. Colorado hasn’t elected a Republican governor since Bill Owens won reelection in 2002, meaning the race between Weiser and Bennet will likely determine who is the state’s next top executive.
And the Democratic primary isn’t until June 2026, meaning there’s plenty of time for the candidates and their super PACs to raise and spend much more.
Weiser’s campaign started October with much more cash than Bennet’s, at nearly $3 million. He raised about $836,000 in July, August and September and spent about $341,000 during that span.
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Weiser entered the contest in January, while Bennet didn’t announce his candidacy until April.
Bennet raised some $970,000 during the last quarter and spent $700,000, starting October with $1.6 million campaign cash.
The state-level super PAC backing Bennet, Rocky Mountain Way, has far more money than the one supporting Weiser, called Fighting for Colorado.
State-level super PACs, formally known as independent expenditure committees, cannot coordinate with Bennet or Weiser. The candidates have no control over the groups.
But the committees can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, making them a potent force. (Individual donations to Colorado gubernatorial candidates are capped at $1,450.)
Rocky Mountain Way ended September with $2.1 million in cash, partly thanks to a $500,000 donation from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The PACs other donors last quarter included:
$100,000 from a Brighter Future for Colorado, a political nonprofit formed earlier this year that doesn’t have to report its donors and is what The Colorado Sun refers to as a dark money group $85,000 from Denver Families Action, another dark money nonprofit $50,000 from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association $50,000 from the Denver-based dialysis giant DaVita $50,000 each from investor and philanthropist Mark Gallogly; investor Chris DeLong; and Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz $25,000 each from Democratic donor and philanthropist Simone Coxe and her husband, Tench, a former venture capitalist $25,000 each from investors Tom Donahue, Eric Mindich, Mark Heising and John Ikard; Rachel Romer, the founder of Guild Education; and Deb Simon, a philanthropist.Rocky Mountain Way previously received $300,000 from a Brighter Future for Colorado. The group also previously got $100,000 from Colorado League of Charter Schools Action and infusions from other pro-charter groups.
Fighting For Colorado began October with about $200,000 in cash after receiving $50,000 each from investors James Kelley and Jason Mendelson. David Merage, of the Consolidated Investment Group and an inventor of Hot Pockets, gave nearly $23,000 while Frank Azar, the colorful Colorado trial attorney, gave $10,000.
Republican gubernatorial candidates are raising a fraction of the amount brought in by Weiser and Bennet.
State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, who jumped into the race in September, is leading the pack after having raised nearly $190,000 and starting October with $180,000.
Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer of Brighton announces that she’s running for governor during an event in Fort Lupton, Colorado, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)Former U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez had less than $8,000 in the bank to start October, while state Rep. Scott Bottoms and state Sen. Mark Baisley each had less than $4,000.
Polis won reelection in 2022 by nearly 20 percentage points. He secured his first term in 2018 by 10 points. Colorado voters haven’t elected a Republican to statewide office since 2018.
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