The Colorado Democratic Party has outpaced the state’s Republican Party in fundraising through the second quarter, reports released Friday show.
And fundraising results reveal markedly different strategies for where the parties are allocating their money as this battleground state prepares for the 2012 election cycle.
Since the beginning of the year, Colorado Democrats have raised $492,488. Their GOP counterparts have raised $326,731.
The reports, which were filed with the Colorado secretary of state and the Federal Election Commission, show that Republicans in the second quarter — from April 1 through June 30 — have raised $11,300 in state accounts.
Democrats, by comparison, have raised $80,192 in state accounts for the same period.
“Generally, state money is used for grassroots activity and in support of legislative campaigns,” said Rick Ridder, a partner with RBI Strategies. “Federal dollars generally go for greater media and support of federal candidates, from president to congressional candidates.”
Ryan Call, the state Republican Party chairman, said his party tends to raise more money for its federal accounts — which was $202,550 in the second quarter — during the first part of the year because it gives the party greater flexibility and a source of money for activities such as voter-registration and get-out-the-vote initiatives and activities.
Democrats, however, appear to place much more of a focus on raising funds in the state account.
Rick Palacio, the state Democratic Party chairman, said he and his team have ventured to 31 counties and are beginning an effort to strengthen ties to community-level and grassroots organizations.
“The Denver mayoral race made the fundraising environment challenging,” said Palacio, who before becoming state party chairman was deputy director of member services for U.S. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
“Mayoral candidates were hitting up potential donors pretty hard, and it made it a challenge to raise money for the state party,” Palacio said. “So I really had to venture out and visit other counties statewide.”
Call says he has held a host of fundraisers and meetings with coalition groups. He counts visits to 20 counties to amass his party’s collections.
“Major fundraising events since my election have included events with Karl Rove and our monthly Capitol Club fundraising luncheons,” said Call, who was legal counsel for the state GOP before becoming chairman.
“In addition, I have participated in a number of smaller meet-and-greet receptions to raise funds, and we have recently begun raising funds through renewed direct-mail efforts and by phone.”
Staff writer Caitlin Gibbons contributed to this report.
Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655 or klee@denverpost.com
