Face The State Staff Report
Since the August 12 primary, unions and third parties have stepped up involvement in Colorado's House and Senate races. Last month saw thousands of union dollars pour into Democrat coffers, translating into fancy mail pieces hitting suburban voting households multiple times each week.
Senate District 8
Rep. Al White, R-Hayden v. Former Steamboat Springs City Council President Ken Brenner
35.69% Republican; 24.32% Democrat; 39.44% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: White $52,604.83; Brenner $24,791.69
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: White $66,918.73; Brenner $31,210.83
White has raised more than twice as much as his Democrat opponent Brenner, with an August yield of $20,000. In addition to his own campaign, White has been speaking on behalf of Referendum O, a proposed constitutional amendment that if passed, would make it more difficult to amend the state Constitution.
Senate District 14
Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins v. Republican challenger and activist Matt Fries
31.46% Rep; 29.68% Dem; 38.17% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Fries $1,557; Bacon $56,497.38
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Fries $8,651; Bacon $57,011.30
Bacon and Fries each raised $10,000 last cycle, and both men have been spotted going door-to-door. Fries's spending has been modest, while Bacon spent $8,500 on polling. To learn more click here.
Senate District 16
Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silvertorne v. challenger Republican businessman Don Ytterberg
33.2% Rep; 28.8% Dem; 37.35% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Ytterberg $14,318.31; Gibbs $37,121.22
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Ytterberg $13,411.67; Gibbs $39,114.16
Colorado Dems have been distracted by the Democratic National Convention, and Gibbs is no exception. Face The State ran into him in LoDo leaving a party at Denver's club Beta after the DNC. Gibbs spent $8,500 on polling last month, while Ytterberg spent money on mail and advertising.
Senate District 17
Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont v. Republican challenger Katie Witt
28.65% Rep; 33.06% Dem; 37.31% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Witt $$5,576.19; Shaffer $43,476.14
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Witt $4,511.00; Shaffer $48,616.12
Shaffer excepted contributions from the Teamsters, a Boulder Valley teacher's union and the SEIU last cycle. He also bought yard signs and bumper stickers. Meanwhile, Witt kept her spending to a minimum. For more information on this race, click here, here or here.
Senate District 19
Republican Businesswoman & GOP activist Libby Szabo v. Democrat State Board of Education member Evie Hudak
35.26% Rep; 30.07% Dem; 34.33% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Szabo $51,999.08; Hudak $37,833.47
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Szabo $75,494.08; Hudak $56,545.16
These women are in a fierce fundraising competition. Szabo is tapping individuals and the local business community for contributions. Hudak, a member of the state Board of Education, has been receiving thousands from teachers unions. Voters of this Jeffco district are going to see a lot of campaign fodder from both parties when Szabo and Hudak start spending their cash on hand. To learn more click here or here.
Senate District 21
Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood v. Republican activist Natalie Menten
32.06% Rep; 33.13% Dem; 34.48% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Menten $4,633.44; Boyd $36,513.37
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Menten $4,932.83; Boyd $51,925.82
To learn more about this race click here, here or here.
Senate District 23
Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, v. DU law student and Army Vet Joe Whitcomb
35.57% Rep; 26.81% Dem; 37.26% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Mitchell $38,209.95; Whitcomb $15,556.47
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Mitchell $52,740.61; Whitcomb $36,360.16
Whitcomb has been enjoying strong financial support from unions like the SEIU and the Boulder Valley teacher's union. Mitchell, a full time lawyer and father of seven, has enjoyed strong support from the business community and kept pace by leaning on his own popularity and strong conservative record. To learn more click here.
Senate District 26
Republican and former state Rep. Lauri Clapp v. Democrat Linda Newell
38.19% Rep; 29.37% Dem; 32.04% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Clapp $10,464.42; Call $1,023.87; Newell $2,998.96
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Clapp $9,355.48; Newell $6,792.57
Money has been slow to reach this race because of a competitive Republican primary. Now candidates are tapping into their donor lists, and activity is expected to pick up as Election Day approaches. For more information on this race click here or here.
Senate District 28
Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, v. Republican Sueyuana Duthie
30.72% Rep; 34.15% Dem; 34.8% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Duthie $2,407.23; Williams $23,464.85
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Duthie $4,282.86; Williams $20,552.39
Williams invested in a polling last cycle, and is likely trying to figure out what issues resonate with the nearly 35 percent unaffiliated voters. To learn more click here.
House Districts to Watch
House District 27
Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada v. Republican John Bodnar
37.21% Rep; 29.95% Dem; 32.52% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Bodnar $8,731.15; Gagliardi $34,255.37
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Bodnar $9,483.67; Gagliardi $47,395.60
To learn more about this race, click here or here.
House District 30
Republican Kevin Priola v. Democrat Dave Rose
27.46% Rep; 34.9% Dem; 37.33% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Priola $22,734.31; Rose $4,296.89; Nicastle $1,904.84
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Priola $23,068; Rose $1,887.73
The area is trending Republican, and a Democrat primary has also given Priola a distinct advantage, especially in fundraising. With the primaries over, the local teacher's union is expected to step up its support of Rose, who is a former public school principal. To learn more check out this FTS report.
House District 31
Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton v. Republican Holly Hansen
31.46% Rep; 30.38% Dem; 37.9% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Hansen $22,524.18; Solano $22,773. 86
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Hansen $22,551.12; Solano $45,797.85
The House Majority Project is a registered political party committee, and as such can give up to $13,000 to a candidate committee. House Democrats have been benefiting from this slush fund, and Solano is no exception. She received $5,400 from the HMP last cycle, along with $8,000 from a variety of unions including the SEIU and Sheet Metal Workers. Hansen has been going door-to-door and seeing a lot of third party mail on her behalf. To learn more about this race click here.
House District 33
Rep. Dianne Primavera, D-Broomfield v. Republican and fiscal conservative Nick Kliebenstein
33.76% Rep; 28.37% Dem; 37.52% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Kliebenstein $11,396.94; Primavera $33,138.97
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Kliebenstein $13,695.19; Primavera $44,670.51
Primavera collected $6,000 from the SEIU and Sheet Metal Workers and received lots of individual contributions last cycle. Kliebenstein has not been keeping up with his opponent financially, but he benefits from a strong Republican registration advantage and continues appearing at community events and knocking on doors every chance he gets. To learn more click here.
House District 37
Rep. Spencer Swalm, R-Littleton v. Democrat Diana Holland
44.09% Rep; 26.5% Dem; 29.09% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Swalm $50,606.68; Holland $21,969.14
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Swalm $54,763.72; Holland $40,324.95
The House Majority Project gave $10,000 and unions gave $4,000 to Holland's campaign last month, making up about 70 percent of her total contributions. Swalm has still has more cash on hand, but the amount of money pouring into this race is going to make it a fun one to watch. To learn more click here.
House District 38
Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton v. Republican and Greenwood Village City Councilman Dave Kerber
39.53% Rep; 28.42% Dem; 31.68% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Kerber $24,825.96; Rice $32,935.70
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Kerber $34,745.41; Rice $49,593.52
Rice managed to win this seat despite the strong Republican affiliation in the district, and the Democrats are not giving it up without a fight. The House Majority Project and unions have been contributing thousands to Rice's campaign, and he's going to need it in order to keep this seat for another term. To learn more about this race, click here.
House District 39
Rep. David Balmer, R-Centennial v. Democrat Mollie Cullom
40.5% Rep; 27.02% Dem; 32.24% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Balmer $104,711.55; Cullom $16,226.50
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Balmer $107,435.85; Cullom $24,882.30
As Face The State previously reported, Cullom began paying her husband for "campaign management" earlier this summer. He's worked for the campaign before, but this is the first year he's bill for his services. The expense appeared again last cycle, and in a move that raised ethical questions about the campaign, the couple refused to talk to reporters about the finances of the campaign.
House District 50
Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley v. Republican Scott Helman
31.3% Rep; 28.36% Dem; 39.54% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Helman $1,835.19; Riesberg $23,306.17
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Helman $2,891.47; Riesberg $28,699.08
To learn more about this race and its candidates click here or here.
House District 52
Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins v. Republican and former Rep. Bob McCluskey
32.75% Rep; 30.38% Dem; 36.17% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: McCluskey $23,381.33; Kefalas $46,293.87
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: McCluskey $13,916.58; Kefalas $60,933.45
To read more on this race click here, here or here.
House District 55
Rep. Bernie Buescher, R-Grand Junction v. Republican Businesswoman Laura Bradford
43.34% Rep; 22% Dem; 34.33% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Bradford $12,553.29; Buescher $52,515.01
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Bradford $1,438.88; Buescher $41,945.40
If there is one thing Bernie Buescher is good at, it is spending money. As the chairman of the Joint Budge Committee, he has helped oversee the spending of billions of taxpayer dollars, and now he is spending thousands more on advertising, Web design and mail. Bradford's cash on hand is trailing and she is up against strong local media resistence. On the plus side: She is a GOP favorite who is running in an overwhelmingly Republican district. Read more about this race in a FTS report.
House District 56
Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillion v. Republican challenger Ali Hasan
28.73% Rep; 26.52% Dem; 44.08% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Hasan $16,478; Scanlan $12,597.63
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Hasan $2,074.37; Scanlan $20,153.15
Hasan has spent almost $200,000 of his own money on this race. To learn where all this cash is going click here.
House District 62
Democrat Ed Vigil v. Republican Randy Jackson
26.1% Rep; 47.53% Dem; 26.16% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Jackson $879.08; White $1,552.15; Vigil $17.23
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Jackson $1,234.08; Vigil $3,368.19
The personable Vigil, who focused his campaign on tackling unfunded government mandates, won this Democrat primary. He'll now face-off with Jackson, a small business owner who wants to focus the race on economic issues. To read more about this race check out this FTS report.
House District 64
Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh v. Republican Ken Torres
33.3% Rep; 41.62% Dem; 24.93% Unaffiliated
August 4 Cash on hand: Torres $614.58 ; McKinley $3,744.08
Sept. 2 Cash on hand: Torres $833.44; McKinley $3,744.08
McKinley recorded two adjustments with the Secretary of State before getting his cash on hand report in order. Torres raised $1,375 last cycle, but there has been little financial activity otherwise. To read more on this race, click here, here or here.
FTS Note: All voter registration figures above are as of April 2008.