Updated at 12:06 p.m.
Congressional campaigns submitted their fundraising numbers for the first quarter, and incumbents continue to raise the big bucks.
GOP Rep. Gabe Evans, who won by less than a percentage point in his swing district, continues to amass a strong campaign war chest. He raised $1.2 million in the first quarter of the election year, with just under $525,000 coming from individual contributions, $310,000 from PACs and almost $360,000 from joint fundraising committees.
Evans will not face a primary challenger for his seat in the 8th Congressional District and ended March with $3.5 million cash on hand.
The Democrats seeking to take on Evans raised less individually, but when combined, the Democrats in total did out raise Evans, but have far less cash on hand.
State Rep. Manny Rutinel who jumped into the race first, raised just under $950,000, with the vast majority coming from individual contributions and just under $13,000 from PACs and other authorized committees. He goes into the primary with almost $1.8 million cash on hand.
Former state Rep. Shannon Bird raised just over $560,000, with about $52,000 coming from PACs. She ends the quarter with just over $1 million cash on hand.
Veteran Evan Munsing, the third candidate to make the primary ballot, raised just over $115,000 all from individuals, and ended the quarter with just over $108,000 cash on hand.
Incumbents maintains fundraising advantage over challenger
U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, one of the only incumbents facing a primary challenger this cycle, raised over a million dollars this quarter and goes into the primary with $4 million, a strong cash on hand advantage.
He raised almost a million from individuals and $104,000 from PACs.
State Sen. Julie Gonzales raised almost $265,000, mostly from individuals with $5,500 coming from PACs. She has just shy of $115,000 cash on hand in her efforts to try and unseat Hickenlooper.
There is no Republican primary for U.S. Senate. State Sen. Mark Baisley was the only candidate to make the ballot. Baisley jumped into the race early this year and reported a fundraising total of almost $32,000. He ends the quarter with $6119.81 cash on hand.
Dean of the delegation, Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette raised just over $260,000 and has about $636,000 cash on hand as she faces a tough primary challenger to represent the Denver-based 1st Congressional District. Just over $100,000 from DeGette’s haul came from PACs.
Melat Kiros raised just under $175,000 in the first quarter, but has much less cash on hand — under $120,000 — than DeGette as they head towards the June 30 primary. Almost all of Kiros’ money came from individuals, with $5,000 from a PAC.
A third Democrat in the race, CU Regent Wanda James reported raising just over $72,000 and ended the quarter with almost $55,000 cash on hand.
GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd of the 3rd Congressional District raised almost $610,000, with $327,000 coming from individuals and the rest from PACs and joint fundraising committees.
Hurd pulled a last minute primary challenger, Ron Hanks, who has not filed any paperwork. Hanks challenged Hurd for the nomination in 2024.
Two Democrats running to take on the winner of the GOP ended the quarter with similar cash on hand numbers.
Alex Kelloff reported raising $192,000 with $120,000 coming from a loan he made to his campaign. He ends the quarter with $458,000 cash on hand.
Meanwhile, Dwayne Romero, who recently jumped into the race, reported raising $505,000, with $280,000 coming from a loan he made to the campaign. He ended the quarter with $470,000 cash on hand.
Two Democratic challengers post strong numbers
The largest fundraising haul this quarter came, again, from former Adm. Eileen Laubacher. She's a Democrat challenging incumbent GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert in the 4th Congressional District. She raised over $2.1 million in her bid to flip the state’s reddest district. More than $1.4 million came from small donors. Laubacher has almost $3.1 million cash on hand.
Boebert raised just under $90,000 with about $70,000 from individuals, $7,000 from PACs and $9,000 from joint fundraising committees. She spent more than she raised and ended the quarter with just over $160,000 cash on hand.
In the Colorado Springs based 5th Congressional District, Democratic challenger Jessica Killin outraised GOP Rep. Jeff Crank.
Killin reported raising just under $670,000, but $250,000 was an infusion from the candidate into her campaign. She raised just over $380,000 from individuals, $26,5000 from PACs and $9,000 from a joint fundraising committee, upping her cash on hand total to $1.5 million.
Crank reported raising just over $345,000. Just under $100,000 came from individuals, with the bulk of his haul from PACS ($168,000) and joint fundraising committees ($77,190). He ends the quarter with $1.16 million cash on hand.
Killin is in the primary with Democrat Joe Reagan. Reagan reported raising just over $86,000, including loaning his campaign $35,000, and goes into the primary with $33,000 cash on hand.
Colorado’s other incumbents continued to show strong fundraising numbers.
Democrat Jason Crow posted his largest fundraising haul, raising almost $940,000. He ends the quarter with $2.5 million cash on hand.
Democrat Joe Neguse raised $381,000 and has just under $3 million cash on hand.
While Democrat Brittany Pettersen raised $270,000 for her reelection and has over $900,000 cash on hand.
