Dark cash plays big in Denver’s Democratic primary fights

Spending on Denver’s statehouse primaries has already blown past $1. 4 million before voting day, and the ads keep coming. Most of the cash arrives through groups that hide their money sources, making it hard for voters to know who’s really calling the shots. This year’s dark-money wave hits a handful of seats that were once sleepy but now cost more to defend than many competitive races. The battle isn’t just about ideas—it’s about who gets to steer Colorado’s one-party legislature. Unions and business-backed teams are trading blows in mailboxes and on screens. Labor unions have pumped over half a million dollars into candidates they call more liberal, while six allied committees, all tied to one financial player, have spent nearly twice as much pushing moderate Democrats. One group, Fair Economy for Coloradans, claims zero donors, yet it’s already dropped almost $500k on attack ads. Another powerhouse, One Main Street, openly backs business-friendly candidates and refuses to spill its donor list beyond a handful of labor union checks. Six PACs lined up behind One Main Street are busy labeling their candidates “progressive” while spending most of their money tearing down rivals. They’re boosting incumbents like Rep. Sean Camacho in Denver and Rep. Jacque Phillips in Thornton, while burying challengers with claims that don’t always stick—one ad against attorney Iris Halpern accused her of illegal lobbying, but state officials dismissed that complaint weeks ago.The counter-punch comes from Colorado Labor Action, a group that actually names its funders—AFL-CIO and the teachers’ union. It’s thrown half a million behind Halpern, Chela Garcia Irlando, and others on the progressive side, hitting back at moderates with its own ads. The clash shows how Colorado’s Democratic Party has become a battleground: safe blue seats now attract millions, turning local races into proxy wars for control of the entire legislature. Where does the money come from? One Main Street keeps most donor names secret, but tax records link it to a $1 million gift from a group that got $2. 2 million from Chevron and $1. 1 million from another oil-and-gas coalition in 2024. Its own leader, Andrew Short, dodges comment while repeatedly denying any oil-industry money—a claim that contradicts the paper trail. Groups funded by charter schools, real estate agents, and hospitals have thrown another $50k into the mix, backing yet more moderate candidates. Even a single wealthy donor, Kent Thiry, chipped in $35k to the same pot. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1, these financial arms races decide which version of “Democrat” gets the upper hand in Denver’s neighborhoods and across Colorado.