Bush to attend fundraiser for Colorado GOP Senate candidate O’Dea

Former President George W. Bush will campaign with Colorado Republican Senate candidate Joe O’Dea, his campaign manager Zack Roday confirmed to The Hill on Tuesday.

The former president will appear at a Texas campaign event in about two weeks’ time to fundraise for O’Dea, who is running to unseat incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). 

Bush’s upcoming appearance was first reported by NBC News.

Bush repeatedly put his weight behind traditional GOP candidates throughout the primary elections, with varying results. 

He campaigned for and contributed to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the daughter of his former vice president, Dick Cheney, and staunch opponent of former President Trump. Cheney lost her reelection bid to the Trump-backed Harriet Hageman in August.

Bush also contributed to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who advanced from her primary alongside Republican rival Kelly Tshibaka, and campaigned for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who beat out his Trump-backed opponent David Perdue.

O’Dea, who has separated himself from the far-right side of his party, has spurred hope among Republicans who believe he can flip the Senate seat. O’Dea has maintained his stance that abortion should be legal through the fifth month of pregnancy and has said he hopes Trump will not run for president in 2024.

However, recent polling from Emerson College and The Hill showed Bennet with a 10-point lead over O’Dea.