A state-level super PAC supporting Democrat Michael Bennet’s gubernatorial campaign has raised nearly $950,000, much of it from pro-charter school groups and a nonprofit created earlier this year that doesn’t have to disclose its donors.
Rocky Mountain Way formed in April, a few days after Bennet, a U.S. senator, entered the race, and is being managed by MBA Consulting Group, which is based in Washington, D.C.
Its single biggest donor, at $300,000, has been Brighter Future for Colorado, a nonprofit that organized in February and whose address is a UPS Store in Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood. Its registered agent is Tierney Lawrence Stiles, Colorado’s top Democratic law firm.
As a nonprofit, Brighter Future for Colorado doesn’t have to report its donors and is what The Colorado Sun refers to as a dark money group.
The PAC also received $100,000 from Colorado League of Charter Schools Action and got infusions from the pro-charter nonprofits Denver Families for Public Schools, at $40,000; Portland, Oregon-based Stand for Children, at $25,000; and the Washington, D.C.-based 50CAN Action Fund, at $20,000.
As a state-level super PAC, formally known as an independent expenditure committee, Rocky Mountain Way cannot coordinate with Bennet. He has no control over the group.
But the committee can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, making it a potent force in Bennet’s Democratic primary race against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Weiser doesn’t have a state-level super PAC supporting his gubernatorial bid — at least not yet.
Other major donors to Rocky Mountain Way include:
- Developer Andrew Schwartzberg of Bethesda, Maryland, who gave $100,000
- Conscience Bay Research of New York, which gave $50,000. The group appears to support environmental causes.
- Jonathan Gruskin, a developer, who gave $50,000
- Investor Reuben Munger, who gave $50,000
- Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz, who gave $50,000
- Investor David Carlson, who gave $20,000. Carlson founded the Colorado Polling Institute, which has sponsored Colorado Sun events. Sponsors have no control over editorial decisions at The Sun.
- Harry Frampton, the founder and chairman of East West Partners, who gave $10,000
- Cole Finegan, Colorado’s former U.S. attorney who now serves as executive vice president and general counsel at the Anschutz Corporation. He gave $5,000.
Bennet’s campaign separately raised $1.7 million between April and the end of June. It began July with about $1.35 million in the bank.
Weiser raised about $1 million in the second quarter, starting July with $2.5 million in the bank.
No Republican candidate for governor raised more than $35,000 during the quarter.
The Democratic primary for the 2026 gubernatorial race in Colorado won’t be held until June 2026. Whoever wins the primary will likely cruise to victory in the general election.
Current Gov. Jared Polis is term-limited and can’t run for reelection in 2026. He won reelection in 2022 by nearly 20 percentage points. He secured his first term in 2018 by 10 points.
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The Democratic headwinds haven’t stopped a growing crowd of Republicans from getting into the gubernatorial race, including state Rep. Scott Bottoms of Colorado Springs; Sen. Mark Baisley of Woodland Park; and Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell.
State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, is also expected to jump into the race.
Colorado has not elected a Republican to be governor since 2002, when then-Gov. Bill Owens won a second term.