Two independent political committees – one Republican, the other Democrat – raised a total of $3.3 million in the third quarter of the election cycle, federal records show.
The Republican group Trailhead, started by Pete Coors, Gov. Bill Owens and oilman Bruce Benson, raised $1.75 million between July 22 and Sept. 30.
That makes a total of $3.6 million raised by Trailhead – and spent – this election cycle. The Republican Governors Association has donated nearly one-third of the money, records show. Some of Trailhead’s expenditures were to other independent groups, such as $330,000 to Coloradans for Justice.
That group, along with Trailhead, is responsible for some of the most controversial ads of the campaign. A Democratic group, Clear Peak Colorado, has also run controversial ads. It had not filed its quarterly report late Monday.
Moving Colorado Forward, a Democratic group, raised $1.5 million, bringing its total to about $1.8 million. Big contributors in the last quarter included $300,000 from millionaire Tim Gill; $240,000 from the Democratic Leadership Council; $240,000 from philanthropist Pat Stryker and $10,000 from former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer. Most of the expenditures were for mailings and media.
A Democratic group, Coloradans for Life, had not filed its quarterly report late Monday. However, it received $720,000 last week from Stryker for two radio ads and one television ad in the 4th Congressional District, according to federal election records.
The 527 groups can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.
