I'm sure you're right. Kolbe greatly outspent Graf (almost $1 million to about $100,000) in 2004, and Graf still received 43 percent of the vote.
I also notice in this article that Graf is the ONLY person who Kolbe didn't have very kind words for (even without naming names he as much said he'd rather have a Democrat win over Graf).....methinks he protesteth too much for one who allegedly claims his decision to retire was not because of Graf.