Colorado Dark Money Groups Lose 6 of 8 Primaries After $2.5 Million Push
Updated
Updated · The Colorado Sun · Jul 1
Colorado Dark Money Groups Lose 6 of 8 Primaries After $2.5 Million Push
1 articles · Updated · The Colorado Sun · Jul 1
Summary
$2.5 million spent by three nondisclosing nonprofits backed moderate Democrats in eight Colorado Democratic statehouse primaries, but six of those candidates lost to more liberal rivals.
The defeats are set to shift the Colorado Capitol leftward next year and undercut a yearslong effort by groups including One Main Street Colorado to curb liberal influence in the legislature.
Denver delivered the sharpest setbacks: Sean Camacho lost House District 6 after more than $1 million in super PAC spending favored him, and Andrés Carrera lost Senate District 34, where outside groups poured in $1.4 million.
Labor-backed Colorado Labor Action raised about $1.2 million, opposed the dark-money network in key races and won every statehouse primary where it spent.
The nonprofits do not disclose donors, but tax filings show One Main Street received $1 million in 2024 from Coloradans for Progress, which itself took $2.2 million from Chevron and $1.13 million from an oil and gas trade nonprofit.
After $2.5 million in secret campaign cash failed, what new tactics will big-money political groups deploy next?
Will Colorado now force industry giants to clean up thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells after their candidates lost?
Progressives Triumph in 2026 Colorado Democratic Primaries: Grassroots Power Overcomes Dark Money
Overview
The 2026 Colorado Democratic statehouse primaries marked a major shift, with progressive challengers achieving clear victories and moderate candidates facing notable defeats. This outcome was driven by voters’ strong preference for grassroots-aligned candidates and a demand for greater accountability in political financing. Progressive candidates, like Melat Kiros, benefited from more transparent funding and less extensive spending, while moderates relied on less transparent sources. The results are widely seen as a rebuke of corporate and outside influence, demonstrating the growing power of the progressive movement to challenge established incumbents and reshape Colorado’s political landscape.