U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., addresses supporters before first lady Michelle Obama speaks during rally for re-election of U.S. Sen. MarkUdall, D-Colo., in Denver on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet raised more than $2 million in the first quarter of the year, his campaign will report Tuesday — a huge boost to start his re-election bid and one of his best fundraising periods ever.
His campaign report will show $2.9 million in the bank at the end of March, according to an announcement first obtained by The Denver Post.
Bennet started the 2016 cycle with $1.2 million in the bank, a solid sum but one that drew concerns given the race’s high-profile status and in the party’s 2014 operation.
“Michael’s proud of the support he’s received from grassroots donors across Colorado, and that’s reflected by our fundraising this quarter,” said Bennet campaign manager Dan McNally.
The campaign says 80 percent of the first quarter donations were $100 or less. Further details won’t be available until the full report is made public soon.
Bennet is in 2016 and his race falls in the shadow of Republican Sen. Cory Gardner’s of Democratic incumbent Mark Udall in November.
Udall raised $1.6 million in the first quarter of his re-election bid and posted $2.5 million on hand, according to Federal Election Commission reports. He ultimately raised $16.3 million for his losing bid and outside interests .
Bennet’s fundraising is off to a good start in part because Republicans have yet to announce a viable challenger.
In his 2010 campaign, Bennet raised $1.4 million in the cycle’s first quarter and finished with $1.3 million on hand, reports show. He topped the $2 million mark only once in the two-year cycle in the October before the election.
Facing pressure from Republicans, Bennet recently purged his campaign of the $10,000 he received in 2010 from Sen. Robert Menendez’s political action committee, donating the same amount to charity.
The move — first reported by Politico — came after alleging that he took nearly $1 million in gifts and campaign contributions in exchange for political favors for a friend, Dr. Salomon Melgen.
“Our campaign has not accepted any contributions from Senator Menendez this cycle, and we are donating his contributions from 2010 to charitable organizations that serve veterans in Colorado,” McNally said in a statement sent to the Post.
Bennet did not receive any donations from Melgen, records show. McNally did not return a call last week seeking more information.
