The spending pace set by candidates for statewide office hasn’t slowed since the primary, with U.S. Rep. Jared Polis pouring another $1.6 million into his own campaign for Colorado governor, according the first round of general election campaign finance reports.
Polis’ campaign technically took in $1,633,486 between June 28 and July 27, but just $33,486 came from people other than the wealthy tech entrepreneur himself. Polis, a Boulder Democrat, has given his campaign nearly $12.9 million overall since jumping in the race, and the latest infusion indicates he isn’t planning on stopping.
Polis spent about $600,000 during the same period, leaving him with roughly $1.2 million of cash on hand heading into this month. Big chunks of that spending went to his campaign staff and consultants.
Colorado Treasurer Walker Stapleton, Polis’ Republican opponent, raised about $255,000 over the same span, leaving him with $300,000 of cash on hand heading into August. He spent $143,842 during the reporting period.
Stapleton and Polis won their primaries against big fields of candidates.
In the Colorado attorney general’s race — the outcome of which will have big impacts on the state’s relationship with the Trump administration — Democrat Phil Weiser renewed his fundraising juggernaut, taking in more than $245,000 between June 28 and July 27. Weiser had about $267,000 of cash on hand heading into August.
That’s despite the former University of Colorado Law School dean raising and spending about $1.5 million to edge out a victory in his primary contest against state Rep. Joe Salazar.
His Republican opponent, George Brauchler, raised about $30,000 over the same span and had $232,000-plus heading into August. What Brauchler — who didn’t face a primary challenger — hasn’t fundraised likely will be bolstered by big money from the Republican Attorneys General Association, which has committed to making sure he has the war chest needed to win.
Stapleton is also likely to get some big help from political groups.
This story first appeared in The Colorado Sun’s politics newsletter, The Unaffiliated. You can subscribe here: cosun.co/theunaffiliated