A blitz of big money arrives ahead of Election Day in Denver
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Denver's ballot measures continue to draw record contributions ahead of Tuesday's election, a new analysis finds.
Why it matters: The late fundraising is fueling a multimillion-dollar spending blitz to win support and drive voters to the polls as early turnout lags in this low-profile, odd-year election.
Follow the money: Here are three top storylines in the money race through Oct. 29, according to an exclusive Axios Denver analysis of the latest reports filed Friday.
1. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is upping the ante on his support for Referendum 310, the city's flavored tobacco ban, with $2.2 million in additional contributions in recent days.
- He has donated $5 million out of the $5.8 million raised by the Denver Kids vs Big Tobacco committee, making the referendum the most expensive race in the 2025 election.
- The fundraising dwarfs the opposition to the flavored tobacco ban, which has collected $646,000 total.
2. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's bond package is receiving big-money support from more key players, including those who stand to benefit from its passage.
- The Vibrant Denver committee's largest donor is now Kent Thiry, the former DaVita CEO, who contributed $100,000 on Oct. 23.
- Gary Advocacy gave $75,000. It's the political arm of Gary Community Ventures, where Johnston was previously CEO.
- The total raised for the bond campaign sits at $1.9 million with essentially nothing spent in opposition.
3. Regardless of the outcome, the big financial winner in the 2025 election is the political firm that helped elect Johnston as mayor.
- Washington, D.C.-based GMMB has received $5.7 million in payments for political advertising in two campaigns — to support the mayor's bond package and the flavored tobacco ban.