A recently formed nonprofit with Republican Party ties gave $128,000 this spring to campaign efforts that backed three Colorado Springs City Council candidates.
Dave Donelson, elected in District 1.
Randy Helms, elected in District 2.
Springs Opportunity Fund, a so-called 527 committee, named for the IRS code under which such groups are organized, spent $128,000 promoting candidacies of Dave Donelson in District 1, Randy Helms in District 2 and Mary Elizabeth Fabian in District 5. Itâs called a âdark moneyâ group because the rules allow them to shield the source of campaign money from the public.
All three candidates supported by Springs Opportunity Fund are registered Republicans. Though Council races are nonpartisan, it appears the outside committee carried out a GOP mission, given who was pulling the strings. More on that later.
Three new Colorado Springs City Council members and three incumbents won the six district races in the April 6 election, early returns showed.
The upset came in District 2, the northern portion of the city, with retired Air Force Col. Randy Helms defeating incumbent Councilman Dave Geislinger.
“I am very proud of the campaign that we ran,” Helms said.
The other new faces are, based on early results, retired physician assistant Dave Donelson in District 1 and executive coach Nancy Henjum, in District 5, early returns showed. Both were running for open seats in highly competitive races.
Incumbents Council President Richard Skorman, Councilwoman Yolanda Avila in District 4 and Councilman Mike O’Malley will keep their seats.
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District 4 incumbent Yolanda Avilla, right, celebrates with her daughter Dulce Garcia Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during a watch party at the Club Tilt & Grill after early results showed Avilla leading Colorado Springs City Council candidate Regina English. Garcia and her family from Hunnington Beach, Calif., surprised Avilla Saturday to spend the weekend and election day with her. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Christian Murdock/The Gazette
Chancey Bush
Chancey Bush