By Ernest Luning
June 2, 2021
(Colorado Politics) – A Democratic-aligned group devoted to campaign finance reform and voting rights endorsed U.S. Rep. Jason Crow for a third term on Wednesday, calling the Aurora Democrat a pioneer in a growing movement to reject campaign donations from corporate PACs.
The joint End Citizens United/Let America Vote PAC said in a statement first made available to Colorado Politics that Crow’s positions on the campaign trail and in Congress have set a standard in their fight against the influence of corporate cash in politics and efforts to protect the right to vote.
“Congressman Jason Crow has been a standout leader in the fight to root out corruption ever since 2018 when he was one of the first House candidates in the country to reject corporate PAC money,” said Tiffany Muller, president of the joint organization created last year when the two groups merged.
“Since the moment he got to Washington, he’s followed through on his campaign promises to restore power back to Coloradans by passing the For the People Act two Congresses in a row. He has fought every step of the way to represent the interests of everyday Coloradans, by working to lower the cost of prescription drugs, protect access to health care, and build an economy that works for everyone and we’re proud to support his campaign for reelection.”
Crow, who has yet to draw a 2022 challenger, was endorsed by End Citizens United ahead of his 2018 and 2020 elections. The new endorsement is part of the group’s first round of House endorsements for this cycle, a spokesman said.
The group pointed to Crow’s support for the For the People Act, sweeping election reform legislation passed twice by the House and awaiting action in the Senate. Crow also co-chairs the End Corruption Caucus.
In a statement provided by the group, Crow said he was honored to receive the endorsement and linked the role of corporate-tied campaign contributions to difficulty passing elements of the Democrats’ agenda.
“Dark money has polluted our democracy, giving rise to a rigged system that allows mega donors and corporate special interests to drown out the voice of everyday Americans,” Crow said. “Whether it is tackling gun violence, climate change, immigration or health care reform, too often common-sense solutions fail because politicians are more beholden to their big donors than the people they were elected to represent.”
After raising roughly $460,000 in the year’s first quarter, Crow’s campaign reported $1.5 million in the bank at the end of March — the largest cash-on-hand total of any member of Colorado’s House delegation.
The group endorsed U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s bid for re-election last month.
The group counts more than 4 million members nationwide, with some 160,000 in Colorado and 20,700 in Crow’s congressional district. It spent $65.5 million in the 2020 cycle, including more than $51,000 to support Crow’s re-election, and its $12.5 million in independent expenditures for the cycle ranked the group fourth among issue committees supporting Democratic candidates. It’s funded entirely by small-dollar donations, averaging around $14 apiece, the group says.