Norton Comes Out Swinging, Still Lags Bennet

Former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton (R) raised just over half a million dollars in her first two weeks or so as a Senate candidate in Colorado. Republicans in the state consider her to be a strong contender in the race, and since she entered the race on 9/15, they've ponied up to support her bid. According to her FEC filing, she's kept most of what's she's raised and entered the fall with a little more than $491,000 on hand.

Those totals lag behind the man she hopes to unseat, however. Sen. Michael Bennet (D) raised just north of $1 million in the same period, and has reported a war chest of more than $2.85 million.

Bennet faces a tough Democratic primary before he faces any GOP challenger, however. His Democratic primary opponent, former state house Speaker Andrew Romanoff, reported earlier this month that he raised around $200,000 in the first 21 day he was a candidate. His camp did not respond to a TPMDC request for his FEC filing today.