Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez raised $38,000 more than his Democratic rival, Bill Ritter, in the most recent fundraising period – reversing a slide that still has him trailing in total dollars raised.
For the final two weeks of September, Beauprez collected $263,000, bringing his total to about $2.6 million. Of that, $150,000 came from the Colorado Republican Committee PAC.
That is still behind Ritter’s $3.2 million, although Beauprez’s Wednesday $1,000-per- plate fundraiser with President Bush is expected to significantly boost his campaign.
Beauprez’s campaign estimated 500 people attended. It was unclear, however, how much of that money would go directly to Beauprez or to the state Republican Party. Some of those attending have already donated the maximum allowed to the candidate.
Ritter, meanwhile, reported Wednesday that his campaign raised $225,000, including donations from some national Democrats. Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine each gave him $1,000.
Heading into the final and most expensive stretch of the campaign, Ritter said he had $170,000 on hand. Beauprez had $250,000.
“I think Bill Ritter has had his best days and these last five weeks are going to be immensely challenging for him because we are going to be relentless,” said John Marshall, Beauprez’s spokesman.
The money raised by Bush will help remind “soccer moms in the suburbs that they won’t be safe with Bill Ritter as governor,” Marshall said.
Evan Dreyer, Ritter’s spokesman, dismissed the attack.
“I just think that they would be better served by promoting the congressman rather than continuing to attack Bill,” Dreyer said. “It’s a misguided strategy on their part.”
Even with the jolt from the presidential fundraiser, the governor’s race has not attracted as much money as some previous statewide races.
The U.S. Senate race between Democrat Ken Salazar and Republican Pete Coors set a Colorado political spending record of $17.2 million. The two shattered the previous record of $10.5 million spent in the 2002 U.S. Senate race between Wayne Allard and Tom Strickland.
Those races are subject to federal fundraising limits that are higher than state- imposed limits. Currently, state candidates can collect $500 per election per donor, compared with $2,100 per election per donor for federal races. (Primaries and general elections are considered separate campaigns.)
The 1994 gubernatorial race between Democrat Roy Romer and Republican Bruce Benson cost $9.6 million.
Republican Bill Owens and Democrat Gail Schoettler spent about $3.1 million in 1998, but they took a pledge to limit spending to $2 million each.
Republican political consultant Katy Atkinson said the state’s stringent fundraising limits have channeled the money to independent groups. Big-money contributors have poured money into those groups, which are not allowed to coordinate their efforts with candidates.
“It’s the old squeezing-the-balloon theory,” Atkinson said. “We haven’t gotten big money out of campaigns. We’ve just made it harder to track.”
Staff writer Karen E. Crummy contributed to this report.
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-954-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
