Millions from partisan outside groups pour into Colorado statehouse races

Outside partisan groups are spending millions of dollars this election cycle on competitive statehouse races in Colorado, and in some instances that spending is far greater than what the candidates themselves are putting up.

Democrats will almost certainly retain the majority in both the state House and Senate, but the question in November is whether they can secure a two-thirds supermajority, allowing them to override vetoes and put constitutional amendments on the ballot without Republican support. They are one seat shy in each chamber.

The state’s largest independent expenditure committees focused on electing candidates to the Senate and House of Representatives are spending an amount that’s similar to their expenditures during the last election cycle in 2024, spread out among a handful of competitive races. Those committees are not allowed to directly coordinate with candidates.

In Pueblo’s Senate District 3, that looks like over $2 million to support either Democrat Aaron Gutierrez or Republican Dana Charles as of Oct. 22, according to campaign finance filings. The district, currently represented by outgoing Democratic Sen. Nick Hinrichsen, will likely be one of the closest statehouse races in November. Democrats currently hold a 23-12 majority in that chamber.

The seat historically has been a Democratic stronghold in the state Capitol, and Hinrichsen won with 51.2% in 2022. But the county itself can be a political tossup — it voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2024, but former President Joe Biden in 2020.

Outside spending numbers evolve quickly, as committees submit notices of spending to the secretary of state. The numbers in this story are from the morning Oct. 22, less than two weeks before Election Day.

Charles has raised a little under $130,000 this election cycle, but outside groups spent over $1.2 million supporting her campaign in October alone. Around $800,000 of that was from the Senate Majority Fund, which backs Republican Senate candidates and has focused spending heavily on Charles’ race and defending Republican Sen. John Carson’s seat in Highlands Ranch.

The Senate Majority Fund gets its money from donors including the federal super PAC known as GOPAC, the national Republican State Leadership Committee, The Anschutz Corporation and the Colorado Beverage Association.

The group spent nearly $289,000, for example, on one television ad buy and $273,000 on another ad buy one week later to support Charles and oppose her opponent, Democrat Aaron Gutierrez.

Charles also got a boost by around $242,000 in October in spending by Coloradans For Accountable Government, a group that also gets funding through GOPAC and the Colorado Conservative Leadership Fund. It is supporting Republicans up and down the ballot.

There is less spending on the Democratic side. Gutierrez benefited from a little under $400,000 in supportive outside spending in October. He has raised just over $130,000 for his own campaign this election cycle and has spent around $72,000.

All Together Colorado, a Democratic spending group, directed around $130,000 in October to support Gutierrez. All Together Colorado is funded by the Conservation Colorado Victory Fund, the “dark money” organization Sixteen Thirty Fund and union-related groups like Working Americans Building a Stronger America and the Association of Federal, State, City and Municipal Employees.

Most of the other spending in support of Gutierrez came from a group called Pueblo People for Change, which received all of its donations from the dark money group Fair Economy for Coloradans. That nonprofit, which doesn’t disclose its donors, spent heavily in this year’s primary to support moderate Democrats against more liberal opponents.

Gutierrez used the outside spending discrepancy in an appeal to donors on Facebook last week, writing that “the reality is that when outside groups are spending this kind of money, grassroots campaigns like mine need our communities to step up.”

Spending in Highlands Ranch and Loveland

The Senate Majority Fund also spent over $700,000 in October to support Carson, the incumbent Republican senator in Senate District 30, which covers south metro Denver communities such as Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree. Carson was appointed to the seat in 2025 and is facing a challenge from Democrat Kevin Leung. The Senate Majority Fund spent over $250,000, for example, for door-to-door canvassing efforts in the district and another $30,000 on direct mail ads.

Carson has raised about $143,000 for his own campaign and has spent around $112,000. In October, he also benefited from $31,000 in outside spending from Southern Colorado Business Action and $274,000 from Lower Energy Costs Colorado, a committee funded by the oil and gas trade organization Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development.

Leung, however, has had scant outside spending supporting him in October except for around $20,000 from reproductive rights nonprofit Cobalt and a few thousand from All Together Colorado. In fact, the Republican State Leadership Committee spent $80,000 for a digital ad against Leung.

The Senate Majority Fund is also spending money to support Republican Rob Woodward in Loveland’s Senate District 15, but it concentrated that spending in September. It spent just $30,000 in October compared to over $800,000 the month before. He had a $250,000 boost from Coloradans for Accountable Government. All Together Colorado spent around $340,000 for ads against Woodward.

Woodward’s opponent, Democratic incumbent Sen. Janice Marchman, saw $50,000 in spending from Coloradans Creating Opportunities, a group that reported contributions from the Sixteen Thirty Fund and Philip Morris International. The Blue Collar Action Fund also spent $15,000 on a mail ad for Marchman.

Less outside spending for House candidates

On the House side, there was about $360,000 in outside spending to support incumbent Republican Rep. Dan Woog in October. Woog is facing a rematch with Democrat Jillaire McMillan in House District 19, which covers north metro Denver towns such as Erie and Firestone. He has raised around $105,000 this election cycle.

New Day Colorado spent around $130,000 to support Woog during the month. That group’s donors include the Colorado Apartment Association, Phillip Morris International, Davita, the Rocky Mountain Business Unit and Occidental Petroleum. Woog also had modest backing from Americans for Prosperity, the group founded by the Koch brothers, and Weld Strong, which gets financial support from oil and gas companies.

Colorado Way Forward spent around $111,000 in October to support McMillan in October. The group’s donors include the Conservation Colorado Victory Fund, Sixteen Thirty, the Colorado Education Association, the Colorado Fund For Children and Public Education and union groups. McMillan has raised around $146,000 for her campaign.

Colorado Way Forward is also spending money to support Democratic candidates like Rep. Tisha Mauro, Tommy Butler and Stephanie Vigil.

Vigil’s unsuccessful 2024 race in House District 16 was the closest in the state, but the campaigns have seen comparatively little outside spending this cycle. Aside from Colorado Way Forward, Cobalt and Young People for All People spent the majority of the approximately $68,000 in support of Vigil in October. The district covers parts of central Colorado Springs.

Americans for Prosperity spent around $42,000 to support the Republican in the race, Jill Haffley, in October. Her campaign has raised $46,000 total.