The first campaign finance report filed by Colorado Republican Jane Norton, a former lieutenant governor who is running for the Senate in 2010, reads like a Who's Who of GOP officeholders past and present, strategists and lobbyists.
Prominent Republicans in Colorado and Washington, D.C., helped Norton raise $510,000 in less than one month as an active candidate for the seat Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet is defending.
That is more money raised to date by any of the other Colorado Republican candidates for Senate, some of whom have been campaigning for months. One of them, Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier, raised just $71,000 in this year's third quarter and dropped out of the Senate race last week to run instead for a House seat in suburban Denver.
Republican senators who donated to Norton's campaign from their leadership PACs included Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky; Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona; John McCain of Arizona; Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; Susan Collins of Maine; Christopher S. Bond of Missouri; Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas; Charles E. Grassley of Iowa; Robert F. Bennett of Utah; and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Well-known Colorado Republicans who reported giving to Norton's campaign last month include William L. Armstrong, a former U.S. House member and senator; Bob Beauprez, a former House member and losing candidate for governor in 2006; Lola Spradley, a former state House Speaker; and Philip F. Anschutz, a billionaire philanthropist with interests in entertainment, energy and communications companies.
Anschutz, who gave $4,800 to Norton's campaign, and his family members are prominent Republican donors, though Bennet ironically once was a managing director of Anschutz's investment company.
In addition to Beauprez, some former members of Congress who gave to Norton's campaign include ex-Reps. Bob Livingston of Louisiana, Jim Nussle of Iowa and Robert S. Walker of Pennsylvania and ex-Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma.
Republican strategists or lobbyists who donated to Norton's campaign included Ed Rogers, chairman of The BGR Group; Rick Davis, who headed John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign; Scott W. Reed, who managed Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign; Alex Castellanos, a media consultant and CNN commentator; and Frank Donatelli, a former deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee now with McGuireWoods Consulting.
Other notable Norton donors include Susan B. Hirschmann, a former chief of staff to Tom DeLay; Benjamin L. Ginsberg, a well-known GOP election lawyer; and Craig R. Benson, a former New Hampshire governor.
Bennet, who was appointed to the Senate in January, faces a primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff, a former state House Speaker.
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