The city of Denver disbursed $4.2 million in matching funds to local candidates on Wednesday, creating a new leader in the money race among mayoral and city council aspirants.
The latest release from the city's Clerk and Recorder reshuffles the fundraising lead in the Mayor's race as previously reported by the Denver Gazette.
The money from the Fair Election Fund disbursements Wednesday matched more than 11,000 contributions of $50 or less to qualifying candidates totaling over $4.2 million. The small contributions are matched on a nine-to-one ratio, turning $50 into a $500 contribution.
Andre Rougeot — a self-funder who previously led the pack and is not participating in the fair election fund — fell to third place behind Kelly Brough and state Rep. Leslie Herod. Rougeot, an Army veteran and small business owner, twice loaned his campaign $250,000 in December and July, bringing his total to more than half a million dollars.
Brough raised a total of $756,963.37, with $395,208.27 coming from the fair elections fund. Nine hundred of Brough's donors were matched by the election fund for an average donation of $48.79.
Herod took in a total of $576,034.36, with $363,371.13 coming from the elections fund. Herod received 1,036 donations matched by the fair election fund for an average donation of $38.97.
Denver voters approved the public financing system in November 2018. Backers described it as an effort to empower regular residents, while limiting the influence of large campaign contributors. The fund — which will finance candidates' campaigns for the first time this April — gets its money from the city general fund based on an annual appropriation of $2.88 per Denverite per year.
Caps exist on the amount a candidate can receive from the fund. Mayoral candidates may get up to $750,000, candidates for city council at-large, clerk and recorder and auditor's seats may receive up to $250,000, and city council candidates may receive up to $125,000, according to Denver's elections handbook.
While Deborah Ortega and Mike Johnston stood roughly neck and neck in January, Johnston has pulled ahead, raising a total of $317,461.52 with $131,805 coming from the elections fund.
Ortega — who has raised just under $250,000 — fell behind Chris Hansen who has raised almost $10,000 more than the veteran city councilwoman. This does not include independent expenditures. Both Hansen and Ortega have received more money from the fair elections fund than they have raised, at $172,530 and $161,361, respectively.
With the latest campaign finance update from the City Clerk, here's the top ten list in the mayor's race:
- Kelly Brough: $756,963.37
- Leslie Herod: $576,034.36
- Andre Rougeot: $532,526.96
- Mike Johnston: $317,461.52
- Chris Hansen: $259,941.00
- Deborah Ortega: $249,915
- Ean Tafoya: $126,164.94
- Lisa Calderon: $115,340.18
- Trinidad Rodriquez: $112,795.19
- Thomas Wolf: $107,694
The new mayor faces gargantuan challenges magnified by Denver's unique characteristics, notably a homelessness crisis that is spiraling out of control, a housing affordability challenge that is pricing low-income and often longtime residents out and a sense of resignation that soaring crime is here to stay — all happening amidst a population explosion that caught Colorado flatfooted.
The new mayor will also need to resolve lingering problems, including the city's ability to pick up trash on time, as well relatively new ones, notably Denver's snow plow issues.
For the city council at-large race, Travis Leiker has run away with the fundraising lead, gathering $376,026.51 total. Sarah Parady, who raised about $100,000 less than Leiker, stood in second place, followed by Tim Hoffman.
In the city council races, District 9 challenger Darrell Watson outraised incumbent Candi CdeBaca by almost $70,000. Both candidates are participating in the Fair Elections Fund.
Denver's campaign finance dashboard, also known as SearchLight Denver, can be viewed online at denver.maplight.com, where residents can track ballot issues and candidates for all municipal offices. They can also view individual contributions to each candidate or ballot issue.
Denver's general election is scheduled for April 4 — following a voter-approved move from its traditional date in early May — with a runoff scheduled for June 6 if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote. In addition to mayor, Denver voters will elect an auditor, clerk and recorder and city council members to four-year terms.
