Trisha Calvarese, the Democratic contender vying against Lauren Boebert for a third term in Congress, has managed to outperform Boebert fivefold in fundraising during the most recent quarter. Campaign reports indicate that Calvarese is set to declare over $2.68 million in funds raised from July through September, dwarfing Boebert’s roughly $532,000 raised during the same period.
Despite this significant financial disparity, some still view Calvarese, a first-time candidate, as the underdog in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, which has not elected a Democratic candidate since 2008. Boebert, classified as a “solid Republican” by forecasters like the Cook Political Report, maintains a strong foothold in the district.
Heading into October, Calvarese boasted a war chest exceeding $1.3 million, while Boebert held around $548,000 at the end of the third quarter. Calvarese, who won the Democratic primary in June, attracted support from over 63,000 unique donors and received more than 142,000 contributions, averaging $19 per donation, demonstrating broad grassroots backing for her campaign.
In response to the fundraising numbers, Calvarese affirmed, “It’s humbling and an honor that tens of thousands of people have invested in our campaign. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s disrespect of veterans, failure to address rising prices, and other actions have galvanized support for our movement to fight for the people and towns we love.”
While Calvarese gains momentum with her fundraising efforts, Boebert’s campaign has not disclosed their official figures yet. Boebert, who moved districts after a series of controversies, including the Beetlejuice theater incident, faces a tough reelection battle against a well-supported Democratic contender in a historically Republican district.
In the lead-up to the election, Calvarese has challenged Boebert to a debate at the Buell Theatre in Denver, the same venue where Boebert was admonished last year for disruptive behavior during the musical Beetlejuice. The clash between the two candidates is anticipated to intensify as the campaign progresses, shaping up to be a closely watched race in Colorado’s political landscape.