More than one year before voters pick a new governor, U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez led the pack of candidates in third-quarter fundraising, collecting nearly $500,000.
Beauprez, who is running for the Republican nomination, reported contributions of $468,880 for the three months ending Sept. 30. His campaign spent $140,373 and has $668,492 on hand.
His Republican rival, former University of Denver president Marc Holtzman, collected half as much money during the period, but he has more money on hand.
Holtzman raised $230,336, and his campaign took out two loans that totaled $140,000. He spent $315,174 over the period, with $48,000 going to rent and $45,000 to his campaign manager, Dick Leggitt. Holtzman ended the period with $777,563 on hand.
Bill Ritter, the sole announced Democrat, reported raising $293,933, spending $96,031. He has $355,324 on hand. Ritter reported donations from Noel Cunningham, owner of Strings restaurant; campaign consultant Mike Dino; Lee Driscoll, chief executive of Wynkoop Holdings; and Alan Hooper, director of social ministry for Catholic Charities.
A large percentage of Holtzman’s money came from out of state, including California, New York and London. Many of the contributors are in the financial world, such as Douglas Korn, an executive at Bear Stearns.
Beauprez claimed that 97 percent of all contributions were from Colorado. Donors who gave $1,000 each included Dick Allen, national security adviser to President Reagan, former Denver Bronco John Elway and former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer.
