Hickenlooper dominates fundraising; Romanoff reports his best haul yet

U.S. Senate candidate John Hickenlooper maintained his fundraising dominance this spring, taking in far more money than both his Democratic primary opponent and the Republican incumbent.

Hickenlooper, a Democratic former governor, raised nearly $3.7 million from April 1 to June 10, according to Federal Election Commission reports. His campaign says that total is the most ever raised by a U.S. Senate candidate from Colorado during what is known as the pre-primary fundraising period.

Andrew Romanoff, the former state House speaker running against Hickenlooper in the June 30 Democratic primary, raised roughly $710,000 during the period — his highest total of the campaign.

Hickenlooper continues to pull in large donations from the wealthiest circles of finance, real estate and law. The billionaire architect Jon Stryker donated the maximum $2,800 allowed. So did Stacy Schusterman, heir to a multibillion-dollar oil and gas fortune; M.K. Pritzker of the billionaire Pritzker family in Chicago; and multiple members of the billionaire Ziff family.

From Hollywood, the director Rob Reiner sent over $2,800, as did actor Danny DeVito. Hickenlooper also received $81,850 from political action committees.

“Republicans have already started spending millions of dollars to attack me in their attempt to save Senator Cory Gardner,” Hickenlooper said in a statement about his fundraising totals, and his ample fundraising has enabled him to bankroll several recent ad buys.

All of Romanoff’s fundraising came from individual donors — none from political action committees or other fundraising committees. Romanoff has also been far more reliant on small donors and donations from Coloradans.

His campaign did not respond to a request for comment about its fundraising.

Gardner, a Yuma Republican, raised just over $2.1 million in the pre-primary months and currently has more than $9.3 million on hand, an advantage over his Democratic challengers.

President Donald Trump’s Colorado re-election committee transferred $56,755 to his campaign coffers, and a Gardner fundraising committee transferred almost $15,000. Political action committees, including several for oil, gas and pharmaceutical companies, sent his campaign a total of $97,000 during the period.

“Gardner for Senate remains in a strong position to secure reelection,” said Casey Contres, the senator’s campaign manager. “With our cash on hand advantage, we’ll be able to defeat whichever far-left candidate Democrats choose.”

House races

In the 3rd Congressional District, Colorado’s most closely watched U.S. House race, Republican Rep. Scott Tipton raised more money than his primary challenger but less than his two Democratic challengers.

Tipton raised about $136,000 between April and early June. Fellow Republican Lauren Boebert raised $69,000. In the Democratic primary, James Iacino raised $186,540 after loaning himself $50,000. Diane Mitsch Bush raised $181,580.

In the 6th Congressional District, where Republicans hope to defeat Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, the congressman from Aurora continues to outpace his GOP challenger in the fundraising race.

Crow raised $303,302 in the preprimary period and Republican challenger Steve House raised $137,158. Neither has a primary opponent, so they will face off in November.