Weld County Republican Commissioner Scott James is one of Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s challengers in Colorado’s battleground 8th Congressional District, his campaign told He plans to raise just over $109,000 in the third quarter, Colorado Politics reported.
A James campaign spokesman said the Weld County commissioner and former county Republican chairman received contributions from 138 individual donors, including some big names in state Republican circles. His campaign ended the fundraising period with more than $78,000 cash on hand.
Calavio, a Thornton pediatrician and former state lawmaker, is seeking re-election to represent the state’s newest congressional seat, which covers parts of Adams, Weld and Larimer counties north of the Denver metro area.
The nearly evenly divided district, which national election forecasters have called “unpredictable,” has become a target for both parties across the country and could determine which party will hold a majority in the House of Representatives after next year’s election.
Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans of Fort Lupton joined James in the district’s Republican primary in September.
Reports covering revenue and spending from July 1 to September 30 are due to the Federal Election Commission by midnight on Sunday.
Neither Caravio nor Evans had released third-quarter fundraising numbers as of Friday afternoon. Caraveo had raised just over $800,000 in funding as of June 30, and had just over $625,000 on hand at the end of the second quarter, according to her most recent filing.
While detailed reports from James have not yet been released, his campaign said he raised $109,504 in the quarter, his first in the campaign, and spent $30,631. He has $78,873 in the bank. His campaign said his total does not include any loans or self-raised funds.
James’ contributors include former MillerCoors chairman Peter Coors. Tim Travis, owner of Eaton Metal Products; Grier Bailey, executive director of the Wyoming Petroleum Marketing Association of Colorado; Troy and Chad McWhinney, co-founders of McWhinney Real Estate Services; Luke Lind (Luke Lind), owner of Lind Land and Livestock; and former state Sen. Rob Woodward (R-Loveland).
“I am honored by the outpouring of support for my campaign for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District,” James said in a statement. “I am honored that so many people believe in me to bring our pragmatic, problem-solving, small-town values to Washington. . They are greatly needed at this critical time in our country.”
