Outside groups playing in Colorado’s elections received nearly $15 million, with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg making the single biggest splash, the latest campaign finance reports show.  

Bloomberg gave $2 million to a committee running ads against GOP gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl and $1 million to Everytown for Gun Safety, according to reports tracking spending between Sept. 29 and Oct. 12.

Everytown for Gun Safety so far has spent only a fraction of its funds to back Democratic candidates, including Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser, Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Rep. Tom Sullivan, who is running for the state Senate in Senate District 27.

A review of filings to TRACER, the state’s campaign finance database, also shows independent expenditure committees that favor Democrats have taken in the most money in the most recent reporting period. 

All Together Colorado, which backs Democrats in the most competitive state Senate races, raised about $1.75 million in the past two weeks, with the largest contributions – $500,000 – coming from the American Leadership Committee of Washington, D.C., the IEC for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. All Together also took in contributions of $250,000 each from Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood and the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which has put $21.2 million into backing Democratic candidates and progressive ballot measures in the past decade, including $4.1 million so far this year. Sixteen Thirty Fund does not disclose its funders – a “dark money” group.  

All Together spent just shy of $3 million between Sept. 29 and Oct. 14. The biggest spending occurred in Senate District 20, where the committee spent $757,734 to back Rep. Lisa Cutter of Littleton in her contest against Golden businessman Tim Walsh.

Spending in the Thornton Senate District 24 to back Rep. Kyle Mullica, faces Republican Courtney Potter, came second at $649,022. In Senate District 27, the committee spent $663,947 to support Rep. Tom Sullivan of Centennial against businessman Tom Kim, who is from the same city.

Since July 1, All Together has spent about $5.3 million to support Democrats in the six most competitive Senate seats.

Money also poured into the Senate Majority Fund’s 527 committee, which routes contributions to its IEC arm. The Colorado Oil and Gas Association gave $225,000, while Bayswater Exploration, also an oil and gas company, contributed $100,000.

The Senate Majority Fund remains the largest spender in supporting Republicans who want to take control of the state Senate. The group spent $2.18 million in the last two weeks, bringing its total electioneering spending since July 1 to about $6.3 million. Its biggest spending in the past two weeks occurred in Senate District 27 at $553,049. It also put $373,000 into the Senate District 8 race between Republican businessman Matt Solomon and Rep. Dylan Roberts, both of Eagle.

One of the biggest spenders in the last two weeks is Unite for Colorado Action IEC, which has dolled out $2.4 million for the six most competitive Senate races (districts 3, 8, 11, 20, 24 and 27) and the six competitive House races House (districts 13, 16, 17, 18, 26 and 46). The group has now spent just under $4 million to back Republicans for the legislature.

Its biggest contributions this election cycle have come from Advance Colorado Action, which gave $1 million. Advance Colorado Action, another “dark money” group, does not disclose its funders.

Two oil and gas companies – Oxy Energy and PDC Energy – made six-figure contributions to Unite for Colorado Action in the past two weeks. For the 2022 election cycle, Unite for Colorado Action has received $2.45 million.

With a 41-24 advantage, political observers expect Democrats to maintain control of the state House. Given that 26 out of 65 seats are open this year, Republicans hope to take a seat or two away. 

Better Colorado Alliance, the Democrats’ main independent expenditure group, spent about $1.2 million in the past two weeks to support Democratic candidates for the House in 11 districts, including seven of the 26 open seats. They include incumbent Democrats Reps. David Ortiz of Centennial, Julie McCluskie of Dillon, Brianna Titone of Arvada and Barbara McLachlan of Durango.

Republican-leaning outside groups are spending in the same races, but in much smaller amounts. The Restore Colorado Leadership Fund, for example, has spent $326,331 to support many of the Republican House candidates in the same races.