How They Stack Up

No wonder eyes outside Colorado are on Colorado. Colorado candidates, including two facing competition in today’s primaries, make several of the U.S. Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) “top 50” lists for fundraising through June 30, according to analysis by the agency released recently.

In Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, where there is a three-way Democratic primary race today, Democrat Ed Perlmutter ranks 25th for fundraising among House open seat candidates, with $1 million. Republican Rick O’Donnell, who will face the winner of today’s primary, ranks 17th, with $1.3 million.

Republican Duncan Bremer, running in today’s six-way contest in CD-5, ranks 36th among candidates giving the most cash to their own campaigns.Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, who running for reelection in CD-4, appears on the most lists. By raising over $2 million by June 30, she ranks 23rd for fundraising by House incumbents and 29th among all House candidates; 31st for most money spent ($1.1 million); and 17th for the most cash collected from individuals ($1.5 million).

Musgrave has raised nearly $3 for every $1 raised by her Democratic challenger, Angela Veronica Paccione. However, Paccione ranks 37th among House challengers for her fundraising, $700,235.

Republican Scott Randall Tipton, running in CD-3 against incumbent Democrat Rep. John Salazar, also places in top fundraising by challengers, ranking 49th with $549,732.

However, that’s just about one-third of the $1.5 million that Salazar has raised, earning the congressment the ranking of 43rd for fundraising among House incumbents. Salazar is 32nd among House colleagues for taking contributions from Political Action Committees (PACs), $831,669. PACs make up about a third of his contributions, likely because of generous contributions from labor unions.

Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, running in CD-6, is 40th for the money raised from individuals–$1 million.

Overall, the FEC reports that congressional candidates raised 12 percent more by the 18-month-mark than during a comparable period in 2004. Democratic challengers have increased their fundraising over 2004, but so have House Republican incumbents. In open seat races, Democratic and Republican House candidates are about even.

(edited)