Candidate Neguse raises most money among Democrats seeking Polis’ seat

Joe Neguse is leading the pack among the group of Democrats vying to replace U.S. Rep. Jared Polis next year in the 2nd Congressional District, with $175,000 cash on hand at the start of this month and no other candidate close to matching his war chest.

Neguse, a former University of Colorado regent and former executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, hauled in $165,000 from July 1 through the end of September. He spent $64,000 during that span.

A slice of the money Neguse raised came from political action committees, including the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Promise PAC, Bridge PAC and the Husch Blackwell Political Action Committee. The Holland & Hart LLP Federal PAC gave him $1,000.

Mark Williams, former chairman of the Boulder County Democratic Party, raised about $7,000 during the quarter. He spent just under $1,000 and had about $6,400 on hand heading into this month.

Also running on the Democratic side to replace Polis — who is campaigning to become Colorado’s next governor — are Boulder gun-control advocate Ken Toltz and Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larsen. Both joined the contest just before or after the Sept. 30 end of the fundraising period.

Nick Thomas is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat as an independent, and Todd Mitchem is seeking the position as a Libertarian. They did not report any donations.

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican from Windsor, reported raising about $21,000 for his re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District (which covers eastern Colorado) between July 1 and Sept. 30. He spent roughly $19,400 during that span, leaving him with $406,087 cash on hand entering this month.

Much of Buck’s donations came from PACs, including the Michigan Sugar Company Growers PAC, the Seaboard Corporation Political Action Committee and the Microsoft Corporation Political Action Committee. Buck also received $2,500 from the KochPAC, tied to Koch Industries.

Only one of Buck’s several Democratic challengers, Karen McCormick, a Longmont veterinarian, came anywhere within the vicinity his fundraising totals in the deeply red district. She took in about $23,000 from July 1 through the end of September, spending about $8,500, which left her with about $21,000 cash on hand.

McCormick also loaned her campaign several thousand dollars.

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Arvada, took in more than $300,000, as part of his re-election campaign in the 7th Congressional District, from July 1 to the end of September. He spent about $46,000 during the period, leaving him with more than $680,000 as of Oct. 1.

A good portion of Perlmutter’s donations came from political action committees, including the American Bankers Association PAC, the Blue Power PAC, the Comcast Corp. PAC and the Deloitte Federal PAC.

U.S. Rep. Diana Degette, D-Denver, hauled in nearly $80,000 during the fundraising quarter, spending about $77,000 during the span. She had about $70,000 cash on hand heading into October.

A good chunk of her donations came from PACs, including the Advanced Medical Technology Association PAC, American Hospital Association PAC, Edwards Lifesciences PAC, Eli Lilly & Co. PAC, and National Cannabis Industry Association PAC.