Democrat Vying for Mike Coffman's Seat Posts Impressive Q1 Fundraising

Sixth Congressional District Democratic candidate Jason Crow raised about $461,000 in the first three months of 2018, outpacing the previous Democratic challenger in the district by more than $100,000 at the same point in the election cycle.

Crow's financial figures likely put him within striking distance of five-term incumbent Republican congressman Mike Coffman in a key swing district comprising much of Denver's southern and eastern suburbs.

The race is one of Cook Political Report's 23 "toss-up" races, which will likely determine control of the House of Representatives next year. Democrats need to flip 24 seats in order to regain control, and Coffman's seat has long been a target for national Democrats. The 6th District voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 8.9 percent, yet Coffman won re-election by a reasonably comfortable 8.3 percent margin. This is Colorado's lone competitive district in the race for the House of Representatives.

Crow's first-quarter fundraising figure is impressive for a few reasons. It's a considerably higher sum than the 6th's previous Democratic challenger, then-state senator Morgan Carroll, posted in the first quarter of 2016. She raised about $331,000 in that quarter and received about 17 percent of her total campaign financing from Political Action Committees. Crow is not accepting corporate PAC money.

“I am humbled by the grassroots support that our campaign continues to receive. Once again, Coloradans have proven that they are ready for new leadership," Crow said in a statement Tuesday.

Coffman, however, has a clear path to the Republican Party's nomination after primary challenger Roger Edwards failed to qualify for the primary ballot last weekend. Coffman took 75 percent of the 6th District's state assembly vote on Saturday, meaning Edwards didn't get to the 30 percent threshold needed to get onto the June ballot. Edwards told Westword this week that he will not petition onto the ballot, and with no other Republican candidates currently filed to run against him, Coffman can now snooze his way through the June 26 primaries and concentrate on the November 6 general election, which is likely to be his most challenging re-election campaign in recent memory, if not ever.

Coffman's Q1 numbers are expected to be released sometime next week. (The first-quarter Federal Election Commission filing deadline is April 15.) At the end of 2017, Coffman led all candidates with $850,000 cash on hand, and Crow was second with $590,000.