By Gene Davis, DENVER DAILY NEWS

Former President Bill Clinton late last night appeared with Michael Bennet to urge Coloradans to vote for the Democrat Senator in the upcoming election.

During a speech at the Evie Garrett Dennis school, Clinton blasted outside campaign finance groups for putting out negative ads against Bennet on behalf of Ken Buck, Bennet’s Republican rival for U.S. Senate in the general election. Outside spending groups have put more money into the race — both on behalf of Bennet and Buck — than almost any other race in the country.

“There’s a reason they got phony names and don’t want you to know who they are because if you knew who they were you would know why they pay for the ads and what they hope to get for it,” said Clinton of outside finance groups. “And then you would vote for Senator Bennet instead of against him every time you see a negative add against him because of the people that are paying for them are too chicken to say who they are.”

Approximately 2,100 people showed up to last night’s rally, according to Bennet’s campaign. The rally came as polls opened for early voting across the state. Bennet’s campaign positioned the rally as an overwhelming success.

“From here on in, every day is Election Day, and tonight’s early vote rally with Michael and President Clinton showed Coloradans are ready to work and ready to win,” said a statement from Bennet for Colorado spokesman Trevor Kincaid.

In this year’s Democrat primary, Clinton had endorsed Andrew Romanoff over Michael Bennet. But Clinton yesterday praised Bennet as a leader who could take Colorado forward.

Buck’s campaign, however, took a jab at Clinton’s previous endorsement of Romanoff.

“Former presidents are always welcome in Colorado,” said Buck campaign spokesman Owen Loftus. “We hope President Clinton’s second endorsement in the Senate race is just as successful as his first.”