Larry Klein knew his wife Marge had a lot of friends – after all, she had worked for two congressmen and been active in the Republican Party for eons – but he didn’t truly understand how many until she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Larry broke down this afternoon at a fundraiser to help his wife pay for chemo treatments, which weren’t covered by their insurance.

“It’s just overwhelming,” he said.

Plenty of bold-face names showed up at Brian Watson’s home in Greenwood Village for the “Pony Up for Marge” event that Larimer County Treasurer Irene Josey helped put together. Among them were two of her old bosses, former Congressman Bob Schaffer and Bob Beauprez.

Also present were Colorado Republican Party Chairman Steve House, Routt County Treasurer Brita Horn, Weld County Clerk Carly Koppes and Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer. Horn and political maven Shari Williams even took a dunk in Watson’s yet-to-be- heated swimming pool to raise money for their friend.

Beauprez served as the auctioneer as Klein’s friends bid on everything from a custom-made office chair to a Hillary Clinton nutcracker – Beauprez visibly winced at that one. Klein’s daughter Tammy has pictures of some of the goodies on her Facebook page. Among the bidders: Beauprez’s wife Claudia.

Klein even took a surprise call from Kennedy, who hosts a program on Fox Business Network. She said she planned to fly to Colorado to see Klein, prompting a joke about Donald Trump’s jet.

“We’re going to make Marge great again,” Kennedy said.

Klein underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She announced she has completed her chemotherapy.

“I’m going to be around,” she said, “for a little bit longer.”

To read more posts by Lynn Bartels, visit her official blog on the Colorado Secretary of State website.