Colorado Democrats were torn in more ways than one after Trump won the presidential race — distraught that the GOP will reclaim the White House, and gleeful that because our Republican delegation was split in the primary process, they thought Coloradans would be banished from a seat at the big table in Washington.
But to their dismay, Trump isn’t thin-skinned and is bringing the Grand Old Party back together just like he pledged, which is evidenced by his consideration of Mitt Romney for Secretary of State, and his appointment of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to the U.N. ambassadorship, both of whom were critical of Trump during the primary.
Now Democrats are watching with horror as Trump brings Colorado Republicans into the fold at agencies critical to our state’s economy — the EPA and Interior Department — where Amy Oliver Cooke and David Bernhardt respectively are leading the effort to get rid of entrenched environmentalists and replace them with right-thinking folks.
And, former U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez is under consideration for a top Interior post.
Gov. Hickenlooper is already softening his stance on Trump, telling KRDO in Colorado Springs that he wants to be the new king of bipartisanship and work together with the new administration, especially when they start distributing transportation and infrastructure dollars.
“What I told other Democrats, I think it’s important we listen,” Hickenlooper told KRDO NewsChannel 13 political reporter Eric Fink Tuesday. “He is the president, we owe him our respect and we make sure that we listen carefully.”
Democrats are obviously listening. What remains to be seen is whether they even know how to show respect.