Democrat Joe Neguse reported Sunday that his congressional campaign raised $165,437 during the most recent fundraising quarter, bring his total donations to $243,032 since he launched his bid for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.

Neguse, a former University of Colorado regent and executive director of Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies, reported contributions from 554 donors and $174,086 on hand for the quarter ending Sept. 30. His campaign said 88 percent of his donors are from Colorado. Campaign finance reports for federal races are due to the Federal Election Commission by 10 p.m. Sunday night.

Neguse is one of five Democrats running for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, who is stepping aside after five terms to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in next year’s election. Libertarian Todd Mitchem and independent Nicholas Thomas have filed to run for the seat, but Republicans have yet to field a candidate.

“I’m honored by the enthusiastic support our campaign has received from voters throughout Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District and the momentum we are gaining,” Neguse said in a statement. “I am running for Congress because our environment, our healthcare, and our constitutional freedoms are under attack.  We need new leaders in Congress who will resist these attacks and advocate for bold progressive change in Washington D.C.”

If elected, the 33-year-old son of Eritrean immigrants would be the first African-American sent to Congress from Colorado. He’s won endorsements from national progressive organization Democracy for America, the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and leading African-American lawmakers, and all the Democratic legislators representing parts of the district.

The 2nd District includes Boulder, Larimer and Broomfield counties, along with all or portions of Jefferson, Clear Creek, Eagle, Gilpin, Grand, Summit and Park counties. It hasn’t been represented by a Republican since 1974, although district boundaries have moved around quite a bit since then.

The other Democrats running for the seat are former Boulder Democratic Party Chairman Mark Williams, Loveland resident Howard Dotson, Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larsen and gun-control activist Ken Toltz, who lost a bid to represent the 6th Congressional District in 2000.

By Sunday afternoon, Williams was the only other active candidate to have filed an FEC report for the 3rd quarter. He reported raising $7,386 – the bulk of that from two maximum contributions from an Oklahoma banker and his wife.