Romero Campaign Faces Spending Gap as Hurd Outlays Triple Democrat Support
National Democratic groups have deployed less than $15,000 in outside spending for Dwayne Romero, while over $3 million has gone toward his opponent Jeff Hurd.
By Vikram Harrison ·
Dwayne Romero’s bid to unseat Representative Jeff Hurd in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District is facing a substantial financial disadvantage with one week remaining until Election Day. According to an analysis by The Colorado Sun and OpenSecrets, Democratic independent expenditure groups have spent approximately $15,000 on Romero’s behalf since the start of the month. In contrast, more than $3 million has been deployed to support Hurd as of Monday morning.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee designated the district as a top target in early October, intending to spur additional liberal spending. However, most national groups have remained on the sidelines. The House Majority PAC, a group linked to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, plans to air television ads beginning Tuesday. These spots will criticize Hurd’s relationship with President Trump, particularly regarding the Iran conflict, before promoting Romero’s military service. The group will utilize only $300,000 of the roughly $1 million in ad time it reserved for the district, redirecting the balance to the 8th District.
Spending in favor of Hurd has been driven largely by super PACs aligned with President Trump. The Safety & Affordability PAC reported spending about $1 million on October 19 for television attacks against Romero. Combined with the No Going Back PAC, these two groups have spent $2.5 million in the district through Monday. Romero’s campaign stated in a written release that these groups are attempting to prop up Hurd’s flailing campaign, though his aides did not directly address the disparity in Democratic support.
Candidate fundraising further widens the gap between the two men. Hurd has raised and spent approximately $4 million on his reelection effort, including about $1 million from PACs tied to Speaker Mike Johnson. Romero has raised and spent about $1.5 million, a figure that includes $460,000 he loaned to his own campaign. Romero also utilized campaign funds to win a contested primary in June.
The race remains statistically close, though. On Friday, the DCCC released a poll showing Romero leading Hurd by one percentage point, a margin within the error range. Adam Frisch, a Democrat who ran in the district in 2022 and 2024, noted that securing minimal funding is essential for a candidate to effectively communicate their message. Hurd, who has clashed with Trump over tariff policies, continues to campaign across the Western Slope and southeastern Colorado.
Historical context underscores the difficulty of representing this Republican-leaning district. The last Democrat to hold the seat was John Salazar, who served from 2005 to 2011. Since then, the seat has been held by Republicans Scott Tipton, Lauren Boebert, and Hurd. Boebert lost the 2022 general election to Frisch by fewer than 600 votes, a result that prompted her to move to the 4th District. Hurd defeated Frisch by five points in 2024.
Romero, an Army veteran and property developer, has faced advertisements labeling him a liberal and referencing his 2011 guilty plea for driving while ability impaired. Despite the spending imbalance, the continued investment by Republican groups suggests they view the contest as competitive.
