About $2 million in untraceable money has flowed into a handful of Democratic statehouse primaries in recent weeks to help more moderate candidates beat their more liberal opponents, including several incumbents.
The funds come from three nonprofits that don’t have to report their donors and are being routed through a convoluted web of eight state-level super PACs, some of which have names that appear aimed at deceiving people into thinking they are grassroots organizations. The dark money is paying for ads and mailers in districts across the Denver area and one in the high country, according to campaign finance reports filed for fundraising and spending through June 10.
The spending underscores just how important Democratic statehouse primaries have become in Colorado. They’re functioning as the new battlefield for control of the state Capitol, which has been under one-party rule for approaching a decade and is unlikely to fall into Republicans’ hands anytime soon.
“There’s always been money in the primaries,” said former Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat, “but it wasn’t at this level.”
The old Democratic primary spending battles, Fenberg said, used to play out between clear-cut groups: trial lawyers vs. medical malpractice insurers. Charter schools vs. teachers unions.
Not anymore.
“This feels less issue based and more cultural,” he said.
The common denominator between all of the dark money groups and the state super PACs is One Main Street Colorado. It’s a nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its donors and has been a big player in the state’s legislative Democratic primaries for several election cycles.
One Main Street, along with the nonprofits Fair Economy for Coloradans and the Colorado Affordability Project, which were created within the past seven months, are funding the state super PACs. (The PACs are prohibited from coordinating with candidates.)
The most substantial of the eight super PACs, and the only one not formed in May, is also called the Colorado Affordability Project. It was created in December, just like the nonprofit of the same name, and is registered to a UPS Store in downtown Denver.
The committee raised about $800,000 through June 10 and had spent all but $51,000 through that date.
The PAC’s donors include the Colorado League of Charter Schools Action ($250,000), the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce ($110,000), the Colorado Association of Realtors ($100,000), Fair Economy for Coloradans ($50,000) and Kent Thiry, the wealthy former CEO of the Denver-based dialysis giant DaVita ($35,000). The group Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification has given the PAC $80,000 while Coloradans Protecting Patient Access, a nonprofit that represents hospitals and healthcare providers and insurers, has donated about $150,000 to the committee.
Those dollars are being spent to help state Rep. Sean Camacho, D-Denver, win reelection in House District 6 over his liberal challenger, civil rights attorney Iris Halpern; assist Broomfield City Councilwoman Heidi Henkel’s attempt to unseat state Rep. Kenny Van Nguyen in the Democratic primary in House District 33; and elect Democrat Andrés Carrera in Senate District 34 over his liberal primary opponent, Chela Garcia Irlando.
The other PACs being funded by Fair Economy for Coloradans, One Main Street Colorado and the Colorado Affordability Project aret:
- Promoting Progressive Women, which has received $180,000 from One Main Street Colorado’s super PAC. (The PAC is funded by the One Main Street nonprofit.) The committee has also gotten $50,000 from the Colorado Affordability Project nonprofit. The PAC is running ads supporting Henkel and opposing Nguyen, as well as running ads opposing state Rep. Mandy Lindsay of Aurora, who is running for reelection in House District 42.
- Fighting for a Better Aurora, which has received $250,000 from the One Main Street super PAC. The group is supporting Democratic Aurora Public School board member Anne Keke’s campaign to unseat state Rep. Jamie Jackson, D-Aurora, in House District 41. It’s also supporting Democrat Maya Wheeler in her primary against Arapahoe County Commissioner Leslie Summey.
- Colorado Mountain Progressives, which has received $150,000 from the One Main Street PAC and $35,000 from the Colorado Affordability Project nonprofit. It’s running ads supporting Democrat Chris Floyd in the Democratic primary in House District 13, which is anchored in Summit County. Floyd is running against Consuelo Redhorse, who has been endorsed by some of the legislature’s most liberal members. The PAC has also spent money opposing Lindsay.
- Adams County United, which has received $280,000 from Fair Economy for Coloradans. The group is supporting state Rep. Jacque Phillips’ reelection bid in the Thornton-based House District 31. Phillips is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Gabriel Cervantes, a liberal organizer.
- Denver Progressives United, which has received $440,000 from Fair Economy for Coloradans. The group is running ads supporting Camacho and opposing Halpern.
- The Progressive Leadership Fund, which has received $24,000 from Fair Economy for Coloradans and $180,000 from the One Main Street super PAC. It’s working to elect Carrera over Garcia Irlando.
- Blue Collar Progressives, which has gotten $350,000 from the One Main Street Colorado PAC. It’s spending money in support of the following Democrats trying to win primaries this month: Jillaire McMillan, who is running to represent House District 19 in Boulder County; Cherry Creek School District Board Member Angela Garland, who is running to unseat Arapahoe County Commissioner Jessica Campbell; and Karen DeAguero, who is running for a seat on the Adams County Commission.
Promoting Progressive Women, Fighting for a Better Aurora, Colorado Mountain Progressives, Adams County United, Denver Progressives United and the Progressive Leadership Fund are all registered to the same man at a Durango apartment complex.
What we know about the dark money nonprofits
Fair Economy for Coloradans is the youngest of the nonprofits funding the state super PACs backing more moderate Democrats in legislative primaries this year. It registered with the state on Jan. 30 and was formed by Scott Martinez, a Democratic campaign finance attorney.
That’s the only public information about the group.
The Colorado Affordability Project was created on Dec. 23. It’s registered to a UPS Store in downtown Denver and was formed by a law firm in Littleton. Those are the only public details about that nonprofit.
One Main Street Colorado, created in 2021, is the oldest of the three. It has been a big player in Democratic legislative primaries.
While One Main Street doesn’t disclose its donors, The Colorado Sun has been able to glean information on where some of its money comes from through tax filings. The nonprofit reported $2.8 million in revenue in 2024. Coloradans for Progress, a political nonprofit, gave One Main Street $1 million that year.
In 2024, Coloradans for Progress received $2.2 million from Chevron and $1.13 million from Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development, a nonprofit oil and gas trade organization.
Jon Anderson, at 6501 Belleview Ave., Suite 375, in Englewood, was listed as the principal officer for Coloradans for Progress in 2024. That’s the same address as the West Group, a Republican law firm, where Anderson is a partner. Several conservative groups are registered there, including Advance Colorado, Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development and Western Way Action.
Coloradans for Progress also reported giving money to the conservative political nonprofit Colorado Dawn ($50,000) and the Colorado Oil and Gas Association ($400,000) in 2024.
One Main Street also received $25,000 from a political nonprofit called Our Community Our Future in 2024, which has Anderson listed as its principal officer under a different Denver address.
Our Community Our Future also donated to Colorado Dawn’s Independent Expenditure Committee ($23,500), a conservative political nonprofit called Defend Colorado ($40,000) and Building America’s Future, a dark-money group supported by Elon Musk ($882,500).
Our Community Our Future received $10,000 from Coloradans for Progress in 2024.
Andrew Short, the executive director of One Main Street, didn’t respond to a request for comment Wednesday on the group’s spending in Democratic primaries this year.
One Main Street has provided funding to the Colorado Opportunity Caucus, which is made up of more moderate Democrats in the legislature. Like One Main Street, the caucus — which doesn’t disclose its donors — has faced criticism over its funding.
Camacho is one of the Opportunity Caucus’ leaders.
The other side
While it’s impossible to know who is funding Fair Economy for Coloradans, One Main Street Colorado and the Colorado Affordability Project — and what they want — there is money on the other side of the battlefield that is more transparent.
Colorado Labor Action, a state-level super PAC funded by unions, is trying to counter the dark money in a few of the contested Democratic statehouse primaries.
The overwhelming majority of the PAC’s money this election cycle has come from the AFL-CIO ($100,000), Colorado Education Association ($350,000), American Federation of Teachers ($130,000) and SEIU (the amount hasn’t been reported yet).
The union donations are made up almost entirely of member dues, according to Colorado Labor Action leaders.
The committee has spent about $800,000 this election cycle. The money is going to help the following Democratic statehouse candidates:
- Civil rights attorney Iris Halpern, whose race against state Rep. Sean Camacho in House District 6 is one of Colorado Labor Action’s top targets
- State Rep. Kenny Van Nguyen of Broomfield
- Chela Garcia Irlando, who is running to represent Senate District 34 in Denver
- State Rep. Jamie Jackson of Aurora
Some other players in Democratic statehouse primaries this year include:
- Assuring Quality Healthcare Access for Colorado, the campaign arm of the medical malpractice company Copic Insurance, which spent $45,600 on June 4 on a television ad helping Democrat Sarah Woodson, a business owner who is running to unseat Democratic state Rep. Mandy Lindsay of Aurora. The PAC also spent $11,700 last week on a mailer supporting Woodson.
- A newly formed PAC called American Future is spending money in support of the following Democratic primary candidates: Sen. Adrienne Benavidez, state Senate candidate Andrés Carrera, and state House candidates Gena Ozols, Chris Floyd, Justine Sandoval, Danielle Varda, Heidi Henkel, Woodson and Rep. Michael Carter. The group hasn’t reported its donors yet, but it appears tied to the federal PAC of the same name.
- Better Schools for a Stronger Colorado, which is funded by the nonprofit Stand for Children, is supporting the following Democrats: Carrera, Henkel, Sandoval, state Rep. Jacque Phillips and Monica VanBuskirk, who is running for a state House seat.
- COLOR Victory Fund is spending money in support of Democratic statehouse candidates Gabriel Cervantes, Garcia Irlando, Halpern, Nguyen, Consuelo Redhorse and Sandoval, as well as attorney general candidate David Seligman and gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser.
- Planned Parenthood of the Rockies’ campaign arm is helping former Capitol aide Chauncy Johnson try to unseat state Rep. Regina English in Colorado Springs
- The Conservation Colorado Victory Fund is supporting Garcia Irlando.
- The Voces Unidas Victory Fund is supporting Redhorse.
Colorado Sun staff writer Taylor Dolven contributed to this report.