Denver meets DNC fundraising goal

DENVER, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The Denver committee responsible for raising $40.6 million in funding for the upcoming Democratic National Convention has met its goal, officials say.

Political consultant Eric Sondermann said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper should be credited with helping the committee garner the funds deemed necessary to adequately support next week's convention in the Colorado city, The Denver Post said Wednesday.

"I think you have to give credit where credit is due," Sondermann said. "(Denver Mayor John) Hickenlooper has been tenacious about this and never gave up, even when a lot of people figured we would have to make this a success even if it has to be scaled down."

The group's successful efforts come more than a month after it reported it was $11 million short of meeting its June deadline for DNC funding, the Post reported.

Hickenlooper said Tuesday the group was still fundraising in order to fund the final DNC event at Invesco Field at Mile High, adding that such efforts should be completed by Friday.

"In the last four weeks, our rate of fundraising is between two and three times what it was," the mayor said. "The (Invesco) fundraising will be done by Friday."