Millions have poured into Western Slope races. Here’s who is paying for the political mailers and TV spots
The spending is a strong indicator that statewide groups believe they can have a meaningful impact on the races’ outcomes
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily archive
Statewide political groups have spent more than $3.2 million on Western Slope legislative elections so far this year as the organizations attempt to persuade voters in the region.
While roughly two-thirds of those dollars have gone to the closely-watched election for Senate District 5, located south of Interstate 70, significant spending has also happened in Senate District 6, covering the San Luis Valley and Four Corners region, and House District 26, spanning the northwest portion of the state.
The spending is a strong indicator that statewide groups believe they can have a meaningful impact on the races’ outcomes.
Political mailers and advertisements in Colorado that cost more than $1,000 are required to disclose who paid for them.
Butler versus Lukens
More than $300,000 has been spent by independent expenditure committees on the House District 26 election.
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House District 26 includes Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties and most of Eagle County. The race is between incumbent Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat, and Republican Nathan Butler.
Colorado Way Forward, which aims to elect Democrats to the Colorado House, has spent about $170,000 to support Lukens and oppose Butler. The vast majority of that funding went to mailers. The group’s largest donations this cycle have come from Sixteen Thirty Fund and Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood.
Several other groups, including Coloradans for Housing Affordability and Voces Unidas, a Latino advocacy group, have spent a combined $137,000 to support Lukens.
Only $1,200, spent by the NRA, has been in support of Butler.
The district leans in favor of Democrats. Lukens won the seat by a margin of 7 percentage points in 2022.
Buerger versus Catlin
As of Monday, nearly $2 million had flooded into the election for Senate District 5, a toss-up race that could determine whether Democrats will gain supermajorities in both legislative chambers. If achieved, dual supermajorities would allow the party to override vetoes from the governor and make strides toward fundamentally changing the Colorado Constitution.
Republicans are currently only one seat away from being a super minority in the state Senate. With staggered elections and most districts lacking much competition, the party has limited opportunities to regain power.
Senate District 5, which spans from Glenwood Springs through the Roaring Fork Valley down to Hinsdale County, will be represented by either Republican state Rep. Marc Catlin or Democrat Cole Buerger.
In support of Catlin, the Senate Majority Fund has spent $1.2 million in the race, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The group, which supports Republican candidates running for state Senate in Colorado, received its largest donation this election cycle from GOPAC Election Fund, a federal political organization based in Virginia that aims to get Republicans elected to state legislatures.
All Together Colorado, the Senate Democrats campaign arm, has spent about $650,000 in support of Buerger. That group’s largest contributions this cycle have come from Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood and Sixteen Thirty Fund, a political nonprofit based in Washington that supports liberal candidates.
Simpson versus Smotherman
About $620,000 in spending from statewide groups, often called “independent expenditure committees,” has gone to the Senate District 6 election, another closely-watched race that will determine how much control Democrats have in the chamber.
Senate District 6 covers the San Luis Valley and stretches into Montrose County. The election is between incumbent Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican, and Democrat Vivan Smotherman.
The Senate Majority Fund has spent $570,000 to support Simpson and oppose Smotherman. Other groups supporting Simpson include the Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification, the Coloradans for Housing Affordability and the National Rifle Association, which have spent a combined $48,000.
