This past weekend the Associated Press published a story detailing that in the face of headwinds from unpopular economic and social policies pushed through the legislature, Governor Hickenlooper’s stance on violent crime is starting to draw the attention of middle class Coloradans.  Of course, this centers around the Governor’s disastrous decision to intervene in the legal process to stop the execution of Nathan Dunlap, one of the state’s most notorious murderers.  From the AP article:

“Republicans say they have no shortage of issues to run on in Colorado. But one, they say, stands out for its potency.

‘Crime, justice, law and order, public safety resonate in a more personal way than a chart and graph of GDP growth,’ said Ryan Call, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.”

The article also cites this video, produced by the Colorado Republican Party, which presents Dunlap in his own arrogant, savage words “their [the victims] life wasn’t nothing (sic)” and “I wanted them dead and they’re dead…” when describing the four innocent people that he killed at a local Chuck E. Cheese.  The Peak highlighted the video earlier this year.

For some reason, Hickenlooper felt that it was necessary to step up to the plate for Dunlap.  The AP story cites this terrible lapse in judgement as just one aspect of a political environment where Republicans have “no shortage of issues to run on in Colorado,” according to Republican sources.  No shortage, indeed.