Democrats are dumping nearly $6 million on the Western Slope in a desperate effort to win the 3rd District seat and claim power inside the House of Representatives where all federal spending originates.
The best hope for keeping the sprawling district red with conservative representation is for Republicans to put up a candidate with strong character and credibility.
Money will also help.
The Democrat nominee-in-waiting, Adam Frisch, raised $1.4 million this past quarter and has $5.8 million in the bank.
The good news is, The Colorado Sun notes Frisch hasn’t been hauling in nearly the amount of cash he was collecting when U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert was running for reelection to the seat she currently holds.
The Sun reports:
But nearly four months after Boebert switched congressional districts, Frisch continues to invoke her in nearly every fundraising email he sends out.
“Please, will you give $5 or more right now — whatever you can afford before midnight tonight — to help me hit our critical fundraising goal, win this seat, and replace Lauren Boebert in Congress?” Frisch said in an email to supporters Wednesday evening.
Now that she’s running on the other side of the state and taken her $1 million war chest with her, Republicans better start writing checks to keep that Aspenite out of Congress.
Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction is leading the GOP pack, raising $241,000 last quarter with $528,000 in the bank.
At the far end of the spectrum is former state Rep. Ron Hanks, who loaned himself $7,000, raised only $2,000, and is sitting on less than $6,000 in the bank.
Running in the middle of the pack is Stephen Varela who raised $70,000 this year, but only has $23,000 left. Varela sits on the state board of education, and won the top line ballot spot by going the party insider route at the Republican Assembly.
Here’s how they all break out with cash on hand as the June primary election heads into the final stretch:
- $528,000 Jeff Hurd
- $130,000 Lew Webb (Donated $150,000 of his own money)
- $128,000 Russ Andrews
- $23,000 Stephen Varela
- $5,700 Ron Hanks
- -$11,000 Curtis McCrackin