Allegations of Improper Spending Mount Against Bennet Campaign

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics

Three state campaign finance complaints have been filed against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver, tied to his campaign for governor in 2026.

A fourth is likely, sources have told Colorado Politics.

The first two were filed on Sept. 24 and on Nov. 4 by Alyssa Holladay of Denver. Her political affiliation is unknown.

The first two complaints were consolidated by the secretary of state’s elections division on Nov. 17. A response is due from the Bennet campaign on Dec. 3.

The September complaint said Bennet is a candidate for both governor in 2026 and for the U.S. Senate in 2028 and he is actively fundraising and spending money for both races.

Bennet, the complaint noted, filed a candidate affidavit for the Senate race on March 11, 2024. He announced his intention to run for governor on April 11, 2025.

As for his fundraising efforts, the Bennet for Governor campaign raised $1.77 million in the second quarter of 2025 and $22,000 for his Senate reelection campaign in the same quarter. 

The Senate campaign committee spent $142,000 in that same quarter, despite “there not being any apparent Senate Reelection campaign currently operating,” the complaint alleged.

The gubernatorial committee spent $395,000 in that same time period.

The complaint alleged that the spending from the Senate committee was actually on costs tied to Bennet’s gubernatorial campaign, such as for fundraising, flights, hotels and staff reimbursements. 

The complaint noted a fundraiser for the gubernatorial campaign in California during the second quarter. Yet there were no flights or travel costs for Bennet disclosed, other than a $161.40 expenditure to Hotels.com. The Senate campaign, on the other hand, spent $17,494 for 92 travel expenditures.

The complaint concluded that the Bennet for Governor campaign failed to disclose significant travel expenses or that the Bennet for Governor campaign relied on the Senate committee to pay for those travel costs, which is an illegal contribution by a federal candidate in violation of state law.

“These violations are not mere paperwork errors,” the complaint said, “but go to the heart of Colorado’s laws for fair, ethical and transparent campaigning.”

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