Cantor endorses Frazier in CO 07

It’s been a good day for Ryan Frazier, the Aurora city councilman who is one of the leading African-American Republican candidates running for Congress this year.

Frazier announced today that he raised $215,000 in the fourth fundraising quarter in his campaign against Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), giving him $275,000 cash-on-hand at the end of the 2009.

On top of his solid fundraising, Frazier also announced he’s won the endorsement of House Minority Whip Eric Cantor. Cantor is backing Frazier even though he faces the likelihood of a contested Republican primary against Iraq war veteran Lang Sias, who worked on John McCain’s presidential campaign.

“I am impressed with his strong level of grassroots support; it seems people are really responding to Ryan’s people-powered campaign,” Cantor said in a statement released by Frazier’s campaign.

It’s fairly unusual for Cantor, as a member of leadership, to take sides in a contested primary. The National Republican Congressional Committee is not endorsing in the primary, though it has Frazier on its list of “On the Radar” recruits.

Sias looks like a formidable primary opponent: He served as the National Director of Veterans for McCain, advising the presidential campaign on organizing veterans’ support.

Sias has not released his fundraising numbers for the fourth quarter yet.