POLS UPDATE: John Hickenlooper makes it video official:
I’ve always said Washington is a lousy place for a guy like me who knows how to get things done. But this is no time to walk away. Changing DC is hard, but I’m not done fighting for the people of Colorado. I’m running for U.S. Senate. Join us: https://t.co/v7THnZZ9aB #COSen pic.twitter.com/iiQXOUrRhJ
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) August 22, 2019
The Denver Post’s Nic Garcia:
John Hickenlooper is launching a bid Thursday to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, exactly one week after pulling out of his run for the presidency.
“I’ve always said Washington was a lousy place for a guy like me who wants to get things done – but this is no time to walk away from the table,” the former governor of Colorado says in his announcement video, posted at hickenlooper.com. “… I’m not done fighting for the people of Colorado.”
In the video, filmed at the Denver brewpub he founded, Hickenlooper echoes his presidential pitch to voters, which focused on ending the conflict in Washington. And he promises to work on fighting climate change, prescription drug prices and economic inequity.
—–
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced his Senate candidacy on Thursday, giving Democrats a widely known contender to take on a vulnerable GOP incumbent a week after Hickenlooper dropped out of the presidential race.
Hick’s website is already updated to list the Senate race.
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Looking forward to all of the Hickenlooper ads — some saying "I want to be Senator" and others "I'm not cut out to be a Senator." Probably some will do a tight cut and show BOTH of them.
Here's hoping the Colorado Democratic Party can suggest some ways to hear from the candidates which do NOT involve all 12 candidates on the same stage, in the same two hours.
Limit the debates to candidates who have actually won a statewide election. Oh, wait. Hickenlooper would be the only one on stage.
OK.
At least we now have more than one sold out corporatist Fossilonian running for senate in Colorado.
The Oily Boyz will be almost as happy with Frackenlooper as they are with Gardner.
A quick trivia question…What is the difference between Cory and John? Mostly the letter after their name. The real humor is in Frackenloopers' claim that he will do anything to combat climate change to the detriment of his friends on 17th St.
I think you put way too much emphasis on his having won a couple of elections against buffoons that did not have the full support of their party. Past results have never guaranteed future outcomes.
I think, in this time, it is critical to hold integrity and honor as qualifiers for our elected officials. John Hickenlooper fails that test. His mission is to protect his powerful friends. Just because those might be different from Corys' friends. The outcome is the same… regular ol' people pay the price.
That, and their stated policy positions and records on the environment, economy, public lands, immigration, healthcare, education, etc. Oh, and each's likelihood of voting with this President's agenda (should he pull it off again) or the next President's agenda (should we get a Democrat in the WH).
But, sure – the difference between the two is mostly just the letter after their name.
Oh, and I won’t be voting for Hick in the primary. I agree we need need new, more progressive blood in that seat. But I will 100% vote and knock doors for Hickenlooper or whoever the Dem nominee is in the end, because I want a Democratic senator, not just a liberal nominee.
I don't know if you ever noticed my frequent use of the sentence…"Vote Blue, no matter who." In the event the oil and gas industry gets their way and Hickenlooper gets the nomination, I will vote for him.
Do I remember incorrectly, or wasn't it Frackenlooper who put Bennet in office? It seems the Dem party leadership in DC have their own agenda, caring nothing for the opinion of the rank and file here. Let us just watch the dynamics of the primary and see what happens.
It was Ritter that made the Bennet appointment.
Thank you for that correction, Michael. After a few years, my memory somtimes fails me.
Seems to me that most Democrats that I knew were furious. Ritter was a disappointment in that he backed away from his governorship and buckled to pressure from downtown. The O&G industry brutalized both him and Kathleen Curry and neither sought re-election.
I just hope that the Democrats in Colorado will see through this candidacy to its roots.
That decision surprised a lot of us at the time. The post-Amendment 58 bludgeoning of the Governor and Kathleen was brutal.
Yes, and as this article in last Sunday's Denver Post explains, our failure to capture a fair severance tax and save it in a trust fund has and will continue to hurt us for the foreseeable future.
Must have missed it in between the frequent iterations of "Frackenlooper" and "Oily Boyz." I don't doubt you'll hold your nose and vote Hick if ends up the nominee. But this primary can't turn into a purity test pie fight. We need a strong nominee that the whole party rallies behind, no matter who it is – not more "lesser of two evils" fatalism.
And you do remember incorrectly. Ritter filled the seat with Bennet. An appointment Hickenlooper wanted for himself at the time.
Yes. Thanks for the correction.
As to your point about the party rallying around a candidate, I suggest you read the list of endorsements posted by Michael Bowman. I daresay say there is no more popular Democrat in the. state than Andrew Romanoff. He is my choice.
Many of us have an issue that brought us to politics. Mine is oil and gas development…for what seems to be a very long time. If I have " a bug up my ass about Hick", as has been claimed elsewhere, it is a result of betrayal by someone I hoped would care more about the health and welfare of my children than the bottom line of Williams Energy…or whatever they call themselves now.
I'm in the Romanoff camp, too. Have been since he ran in 2010. All I'm saying is win by talking Romanoff (or whatever candidate anyone supports) up, not attacking Hick as not being good enough. We need to get out of this primary without a bloodied nominee, whoever it ends up being, and I fear Hick jumping in is going to make everyone focus on beating him down. That only lets Gardner define whoever wins because they won't have done that in the primary.
Duke – I share your opinion of Hick. But the primary is the opinion of the primary voters in this state.
It is about influence, David. I understand the politics, but I don't have to like.😉
Any Democratic Governor would be better than any Republican Governor on most of the issues you name, Orangefree. So Hick signed off on Coloradocare, hasn’t promoted any personhood bills, didn’t send the CO National Guard to the border when Trump asked him to, has dutifully signed the progressive laws that were hard-fought for. And, yes, he says the right things. I, too, will be voting for someone else in the primary, and reluctantly voting for Hick in the general, if it comes to that.
But Duke is right about there not being much difference between Hickenlooper and Gardner on oil and gas, and how much the industry should sublimate profit to public health. I don’t think Hick would have signed 181, as Polis did.
Hick dragged his feet or balked on cannabis legalization, on the methane capture rules, (which are necessary, but don’t fully address the problem), on whether or not to allow ICE to round up noncriminal immigrants, on whether police community relations could be more proactively addressed, refused to support the Ralph Carr Freedom Defense Act, and more.
On health care, he mealy mouths his way around it, saying we need “universal health care” and to “improve the ACA” with no specifics on how to do that.
So yeah, Hick would be better than Gardner, and he says the right things on most issues. Watch what he does, though….He's not the leader or progressive voice we need in the Senate right now.
Simple decision Duke. If you don't want Hickenlooper to be the next Colorado Senator then you should work for your favorite candidate so they can win the nomination. Sign up and put some effort into it and do it in that positive progressive way that you exemplify. This could be an outstanding primary season and a way to contrast the Climate Crisis confronting programs of Democratic candidates to the head up Trump's ass approach to the environment that is the Gardner way. Channel your angst about Hickenlooper into some momentum for your favorite candidates.
I certainly accept your encouragement to work for Andrew. I have before and will again.
If what you are suggesting is that I allow people to elevate John Hickenlooper as a candidate without calling out bullshit when I see it…I will pass.
Andrew is a very good man. I concede I am kind of partial to a very good woman, Alice Madden, in what has always been a male preserve.
But if Andrew wins the primary, I'll joyfully vote for him and send him cash. If Hick wins, he also gets a love note from Act Blue and my vote.
But if Alice wins, I'll hitch up that 20 unicorn team and ride to glory in an army of 20,000 angels to carry Amy or Kamala or Elizabeth to the temple mount to slay the infidels, redeem this nation and slay forever the designated hitter rule!
My wife and I have sent money to all three of the women frontrunners. Amy is by far my favorite. But Elizabeth is fighting the lord's battle in Iowa, putting Bernie out to pasture and showing commendable caution about overuse of instant replay in the NFL.
I can live with her!
Hell, I can live with Hick and Biden, given the appalling alternatives. But it sure would be nice to feel joy again on election night.
You go, Girls!
The retorical question Duke is whether you are calling out bullshit or creating it. With great power . . .
Did I ever say don't offer a whithering critique where warrented? Please proceed but try not to help Gardner. Please?
I guess you have never read any of my comments about Cory.
I am not a fan of the former governor, but compared to the loathsome, arrogant sack o'shit that currently occupies the seat, he is a stellar human being and a decent, however misguided man. I don't think he will represent me in Congress nearly as well and honestly as Andrew Romanoff.
Andrew is a brilliant legislator, a truly fine man, and I believe will prove to be one of the finest senators this state has ever had.
Believe me, GG. The money grubbing Koch sycophant, Cory Gardner, is the target. The truth, however, is the truth. I don't believe Hick is in this for the right reasons. He didn't really want it. Someone talked him into it to protect them. Who do you suppose that was?
An environmentalist?
How about limiting to someone who has beaten an incumbent Republican? That would rule out (alphabetically) Baer, Ferrigno Warren, Garcia, Hick, Johnston, Madden, Romanoff, Spaulding, Walsh, Williams, Zornio — am I missing anyone?
In short, the Democratic bench of state-wide winners is pretty scant. The bench of incumbent-beaters is even more scant. I wonder which Democratic Governor(s) might have been a significant factor in that dearth?
That's more than a little surprising. I didn't think being one of 100 held any appeal for Hickenlooper at all.
The clown show presidential campaign and "I'm not cut out for the Senate" thing will make a Senate run more difficult than it otherwise would have been, but it's nice to have someone in the race with proven ability to win a statewide election.
So from now on, things will likely go something like this. I'll give money to Andrew Romanoff's campaign. I'll vote for Romanoff in the primary and encourage others to do so. And when Hickenlooper wins the primary going away, I'll go all in for Hick in the general election.
I'm a LWNJ from way back, but prudence dictates not letting visions of the ideal get in the way of a real-world good. Coreless gotta go. That's what matters most. Thus, in a general election where Coreless and Hickenlooper are the only candidates with any shot at a 6-year term in the U.S. Senate, I will not be voting for Hippington P. McHipster of Green Party or whatever.
I think Hickenlooper is very liberal on social issues, "scientific" on science issues, and moderately-Conservative on business issues. In my pantheon, that makes him a Center-right candidate.
I'd prefer someone more to the Elizabeth Warren wing of the party, although it must be admitted that Warren was once a Republican, and despite her radical (i.e. fundamental change) plans, she is really trying to save Capitalism from itself,
I agree that Hickenlooper is ill-suited to the role of a Senator. Here's hoping that President Warren appoints him to Commerce or Economic Advisor or something.
Your take on Warren is very interesting. I did not know she once was a member of the GOP.
In the immortal words of AFL-CIO chief Lane Kirkland, "All sinners belong in church!"
Sister Warren has been baptised in the waters of the Charles and her past sins are all forgiven.
Of course, I speak as a former Republican myself
Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future! (said someone once). I was baptized in water from the Ogallala and the Republican River runs through my hometown. I share V's journey as a former (30 year) Republican.
I find Hick's announcement kind of liberating. Now you're free to back Andrew and I'm free to back Alice. If the pundits are right, Hick is the nominee anyway and crushes Cory. But if one of our underdogs win, they ride a tidal wave of publicity as upset winners and also crush Cory.
Let the best woman win!
. (Or Andrew, who was very respectful of women as speaker.
Agreed.
I'm looking forward to the first legitimate polling showing each one of the primary candidates (at least Andrew, Alice, Mike, Hick and Angela) up against the current occupant.
Very.
He let Debbie Stafford turn D.
If Loop is angling for a Washington appointment, running now as a first-term Senator is amazingly stupid and damn silly. He should be out campaigning on behalf of the party to defeat The Chosen One.
Even if such an appointment were to occur, even in a safe state where another Democrat is sure to be his Senate replacement, it would leave the Colorado electorate feeling rather used, if not betrayed.
I’m not convinced what it is that Hick wants now? . . .
. . . except attention?
“I’m not done fighting for the people of Colorado” — yeah, right. Fuck me.
Can't wait to see all of the other candidates do the same trick shot … then what does Hick have left?
It's not difficult but the tables at the 'Koop are in horrible shape.
Gee, Conman Cory or Hick…think, think, think…Oh, wait. No thinking necessary. I'll take the D in the Senate. This is no time for purity tests.
I'm voting for the one who didn't vote for Trump policies 90% of the time. Simple
Leaning Madden in the primary, then in the general what Cookie and Duke said. No more fascists on the Supreme Court!
I bet the Gardner household toilets are overflowing about now.
And Gardner's dry cleaner has more work than he can handle!
With Bricks?
They can always use Moderatus’ mouth
Wiping out Gardner will go a long way towards reducing Republican influence in the state to minority status. No statewide Repubs in view for as far as the eye can see. I'm OK with a Blue Dog Democrat to accomplish that but I suspect it is better than that. Kick the smarmy Gardner and Trump to the curb in the same election. Wonderful prospects people. Keep your eye on the prize.
True. Unless you count Heidi Ganal, who is CU regent at large and won't be up until 2022.
When your highest statewide office holder is a university regent, you are on hard times indeed. Make it so . . .
Hick as nominee frees up a lot of $$$ the DSCC won’t need to spend in CO as it would if Andrew, Alice or Angela is the nominee. And that is $$$ that can be spent in Iowa or North Carolina.
Hick drops out of Senate race.
Damn you, davebarnes,…you got my hopes up. But even the Onion article got it wrong. I live in Ward 3 in Lakewood, and we still have better candidates than Hickenlooper for that BoCC spot. If his opponent is the judge who got fired by the voters, though, Hick would have my vote.
Funny one, Dave. With the news from the Onion being a spoof, MJ won't be able to go "all-out-McGovern" for the senate primary.