Will Hickenlooper represent entire state or be a shill for big energy?
By Bill Grant Tuesday, April 6, 2010 John Hickenlooper’s enthusiastic reception in Mesa County recently suggests he could become the candidate to take the Western Slope vote for the Democrats in November. A fiscal conservative, Hickenlooper should appeal to both conservative Democrats and moderate independents and Republicans on the Western Slope. If he can bring these groups together without alienating more liberal Democrats and green independents, Hickenlooper could lead a coalition that could break the hegemony of the GOP on the Western Slope. But, while he is attractive to Western Slope voters, Hickenlooper needs to be more sensitive to their concerns. For example, his response to the oil and gas rules passed under Gov. Bill Ritter’s administration can help him or hurt him on the Western Slope. So far, he has chosen the side of the energy companies. “They’ll recognize that I’m coming from a different place than Governor Ritter,” he said of the industry. Improbable as it might seem,
