Updated 9:45 a.m.
Incumbent Republican Sen. Cory Gardner continues to show his fundraising strength as he heads into his 2020 re-election bid.
His campaign brought in $2.45 million during this latest fundraising period. That’s up from the $2 million he raised between April-June. It leaves him with more than $6.5 million on hand, as Democrats still vie for the nomination to challenge him.
“Coloradans want to re-elect Cory Gardner because he delivers bipartisan results for this state,” campaign manager Casey Contres said in a statement on the strong numbers.
Former Gov. John Hickenlooper, who announced his candidacy for Senate in August, also flexed his fundraising muscle. His campaign has raised $2.1 million since he entered the race, they said in a statement.
Hickenlooper’s entry into the race drove out other Democrats who had previously shown strong fundraising, such as former state Sen. Mike Johnston and Amb. Dan Baer. Fundraising totals for all the campaigns must be reported to the Federal Election Commission by Oct. 15.
“Each and every person who chipped in recognizes that Colorado needs a new independent voice, a Senator who reflects our values and will work to bring people together and get things done on issues that matter to Coloradans,” Hickenlooper said in a statement from his campaign.
The Senate race is expected to be closely watched and expensive. All combined, candidates for this race had raised more than $13 million ahead of the latest numbers.
