Here at Party Time we’re going to start a series of blog posts on fundraising parties thrown for candidates in competitive races this fall. This first post centers on a race close to me–literally–the Colorado Senate race between Republican Bob Schaffer and  current Congressman Mark Udall, a Democrat. (I conduct my Party Time hostessing from my home office in Denver, Colorado.)

Colorado is a swing state this election and the open Colorado Senate seat has drawn a lot of attention and money.  Our Party Time database shows three parties for Schaffer and five for Udall, although not all are in 2008. Given the massive fundraising in this race, surely these two must be partying more than this. Come on, all you people out in Party Time reader land–if you have more invitations, please send them to us!

Udall’s most recent scheduled party in our database was at the South Riding Golf Club in northern Virginia on September 18. Hosts included Brent Blackwelder, a lobbyist for Friends of the Earth; Terry Bracy, who works for the lobbying firm Bracy, Tucker & Brown; Eric Eberhard, who lobbies for Dorsey & Whitney, and Tony Valanzano, who appears to have his own firm as well as working for Bracy, Tucker & Brown, according to lobbying records analyzed by the Center for Responsive Politics. Udall must like this particular golf course. In 2006, several of the same hosts headed up an event there for the Congressman.

Schaffer’s most recent scheduled bash was on the same day as Udall’s–September 18. Held at the popular partying location, the restaurant Johnny’s Half Shell, the most notable thing about this event was the star studded list of lawmaker hosts. These include Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who is facing his own reelection, Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). Also on the list, retiring Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO).

This shows, if we didn’t know it already, that this is a key race for Senate Republicans. So does this event in July at the Charlie Palmer steak house for a joint fundraising committee that is raising cash for several 2008 Senate candidates, including Schaffer.

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