Is Third Congressional District candidate Sal Pace having trouble raising campaign cash? The state House Minority Leader just sent out an email to his Congressional campaign list saying he was $3,595 away from their online goal of $7,500 for the third fundraising quarter of 2011 (full email after the jump).

If that's true, Pace's candidacy could be showing signs of serious trouble. Despite only having a month to fundraise in the last reporting quarter, Pace has had a full three months to gather campaign dollars this time. If he is barely halfway to a considerably low online fundraising goal with less than three days left, that could indicate donors are having some serious doubts about Pace's candidacy.  

It's been a tough quarter for Pace, with some serious blemishes on his record, both criminal and legislative, coming out in the past month. First, we at Colorado Peak Politics reported on his illustrious and lengthy criminal record earlier this month, and on Sunday The Denver Post's Allison Sherry wrote up Pace's record of cashing out on the taxpayer's dime.  

It might also be a recognition from regular political donors that the 3rd Congressional district is going to be, as Pace's old boss and former 3rd CD Congressman John Salazar said, "a tough row to hoe."

In 2008, when Obama was considered a boost for Democrats on the ticket, the 3rd CD went for John McCain. Salazar managed to get re-elected, but the Salazar family has a long history with voters and he was well known across the district. In 2012, as a House Democrat told Politico, having Obama on the ticket "will hurt [Democrats]."

Nobody sees Pace as even half the politician that John Salazar once was, making his attempt to get voters to support him but not Obama an almost impossible task. 

Pace is a Connecticut boy who has spent most of his career as a political hack for hire. He lacks private sector experience entirely and isn't widely known outside of his safe, Democrat house district in Pueblo.

Pace's lack of stature in the district, coupled with his increasingly long list of black marks in his background, might be causing donors to resist wasting their dollars in a losing race.

The fundraising quarter ends September 30 and the reports are due by October 15, so we'll know soon enough if Pace’s campaign will have a pot to piss in.

From: [email protected]

To:

Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:13:58 -0400

Subject: almost there

Hey Friend, I’ve been in and out of the office this week tending to family – my wife and I were blessed with a healthy baby girl last week – but I wanted to step in and update you on our grassroots fundraising goal.

According to the finance report I got this morning, we’re just $3,595 away from breaking our $7,500 online grassroots goal before the financial reporting deadline expires on Friday. I need to ensure we file a strong report next week. Pitch in $5 or more to our campaign here to help us shatter our grassroots goal this month!

I’m inspired by what I’m seeing right now, and know that we have a real chance to win this race next November.

But we cannot stop this fight now. Tipton and his special interest pals are already gearing up for a nasty, negative campaign and we need to be able combat their attacks. That’s why I need you to stand with me right now.

Contribute $5 or more to our campaign before the deadline expires this Friday:

paceforcolorado.com/contribute

Thank you for being a part of this campaign,

– Sal

P.S. Special thanks to all the folks who sent in messages congratulating my family on the birth of our daughter, Alana. I am incredibly touched by your kind words!