By Ernest Luning
May 13, 2021
(Colorado Politics) – A national campaign finance and election reform group on Thursday endorsed U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s bid for a third term, noting that the Colorado Democrat is the only senator seeking re-election in 2022 who doesn’t raise contributions from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists.
End Citizens United and Let America Vote lauded the lawmaker’s record of backing reforms aimed at reducing the role of big money in politics, ending partisan gerrymandering and protecting the right to vote.
“Senator Bennet is one of the most outspoken voices in Washington against the corrupting influence of Big Money in politics and protecting the freedom to vote,” said Tiffany Muller, president of the two groups, which merged at the beginning of last year, in a statement.
“Throughout his tenure in the Senate, he has consistently worked to limit the influence of corporate special interests and lobbyists so that the voices of everyday Coloradans are heard,” she said. “We’re proud to endorse Sen. Bennet and we look forward to helping him win in 2022. We need to hold onto democracy reform champions like Michael Bennet, and the battle for Senate control runs right through Colorado.”
The groups pointed to Bennet’s co-sponsorship of legislation including the For the People Act, a massive election reform package currently in the Senate, and bills to require expenditure disclosure for political ads. He’s also sponsored a bill that would permanently ban federal lawmakers from lobbying after they leave Congress and a lobbing reform measure dubbed the Clean Politics Act.
Bennet hasn’t drawn a serious Republican challenger yet, though 2018 GOP congressional nominee Peter Yu formed an exploratory committee for a Senate run in April. Colorado doesn’t rank high on any election forecaster’s list of next year’s Senate battlegrounds.
If he wins next year, Bennet will be the first Colorado senator elected to a third term in more than 50 years.
Bennet accepted the endorsement in a statement made available first to Colorado Politics.
“I am the only senator running for re-election who isn’t taking a cent from corporate PACs and federal lobbyists because if we are going to take the influence of big money out of politics and restore our democracy, we need to lead by example,” he said.