Democratic groups leave Colorado's 3rd District underfunded with one week until the vote

Democratic outside spending in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District stands at $15,000 as of Monday morning, a figure that lags far behind the $3 million deployed for the Republican incumbent. This disparity leaves former Aspen City Councilman Dwayne Romero with a substantial financial deficit one week before the Nov. 3 election.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added the district to its list of top 2026 targets in early October. The move was intended to signal to other liberal groups that the race was a priority and to trigger an influx of funds. However, most national Democratic organizations have remained largely inactive in the contest.

Meanwhile, groups aligned with President Donald Trump have spent heavily to defend Rep. Jeff Hurd. The Safety & Affordability PAC, a Trump-tied super PAC, reported spending approximately $1 million on television ads on Oct. 19. These spots focus on attacking Romero. In total, the Safety & Affordability and No Going Back PACs have spent a combined $2.5 million in the district through Monday.

House Majority PAC, a group linked to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, will begin airing television commercials on Tuesday. The ads will criticize Hurd for his ties to Trump, particularly regarding the war in Iran, before highlighting Romero's military service. The group plans to use about $300,000 of the $1 million in Colorado ad time it previously reserved for the district. It is redirecting the remainder to the 8th Congressional District to assist Democrat Manny Rutinel against Rep. Gabe Evans.

Even with the upcoming House Majority PAC spending, Romero remains at a spending disadvantage. Seth Masket, a political science professor at the University of Denver, noted that Democrats face a paradox where they have more competitive opportunities than their financial resources can support. He stated, "One of the weird things about the campaign finance environment this cycle is the Democratic Party is not particularly rich."

Romero's campaign released a written statement on the spending gap, claiming that Trump and Republican groups are attempting to support Hurd's struggling bid. Aides did not address the low level of independent Democratic spending in a follow-up. The DCCC released a poll on Friday showing Romero leading by one percentage point, a margin within the survey's error range that indicates a tie.

Candidate fundraising shows a similar gap. Hurd has raised and spent about $4 million, including $1 million from PACs tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Romero has raised and spent about $1.5 million, which includes $460,000 he loaned to his own campaign. Romero also spent resources winning a contested primary in June.

Adam Frisch, a Democrat who ran in the district in 2022 and 2024, said it is difficult to secure funding in the area. He noted that Hurd is vulnerable due to his association with Trump and his vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Frisch warned that if Romero loses by a narrow margin, the lack of funding could be cited as the deciding factor.

Hurd has campaigned extensively across the district and has earned respect from some local Democrats, including Sen. Michael Bennet, who praised him during a debate. Despite occasional spats with Trump, the president has reaffirmed his support for Hurd. The district is represented by Democrats in the House and Senate, but the last Democrat to hold the 3rd District seat was John Salazar, who served from 2005 to 2011.