Gov. Hickenlooper claims to have placed “an unprecedented focus on rural Colorado.” Or at least that’s what he told the good folks from Club 20 last week, IN DENVER.
“In the first four years, I’ve been to Club 20 counties just over 100 times,” Hickenlooper said. “I would argue that in a four-year period, that’s more than any governor in modern history.”
More than Gov. Roy Romer?
We find this politically and mathematically dubious, but let’s pretend to take his word for it.
That would mean Hickenlooper has visited two counties per month over the past four years, and we know he visits two or more counties every time he forges past the great divide to places like Aspen for “Ideas Week,” watch multiple stages of the Pro Cycle Challenge, attend the summer Colorado Municipal League meeting in Breckenridge,or the summer meeting of the Water Congress in Vail.
Tough gig.
He has essentially admitted to spending one day a month, focused like a laser beam on rural Colorado.
At best, Hickenlooper has spent approximately eight percent of his time in roughly half of the state’s geography, and that’s if you count each 100 visits as one day.
It’s not like us to give him the benefit of the doubt, which is why we also gave it the old Google try:
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper visited longtime friend and fellow entrepreneur Bob Scott in Grand Lake on Thursday, July 31, during a campaign swing that later included a half-hour visit to the Sky-Hi News office in Granby.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper made a campaign stop in Lake City on Saturday afternoon …
Meanwhile, Hickenlooper, a Democrat who is running for re-election, will be busy all day.
Here’s his schedule: 10 a.m. Mercury Village Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, 150 Mercury Village Drive at the company’s new building near the Durango Mall.
12:15 p.m. Signing of House Bill 14-1222, “Clean Energy Project Private Activity Bonds” at Centennial Park in Pagosa Springs. The park is behind the Archuleta County Courthouse at 449 San Juan St.
2 p.m. Signing of HB 14-1080, Sales & Use Tax Exemption for Ute Indians,” at the Leonard C. Burch Tribal Administration Building, 356 Ouray Drive in Ignacio.
4:15 p.m. Signing of HB 14-1119, Tax Credit for Donating Food for Charitable Organizations, at Adobe House Farm, 63 Ptarmigan Lane in Durango …
In addition, Hickenlooper will attend a campaign fundraiser from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the second floor of Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., in Durango. The minimum suggested donation is $100, a friend is $250, co-host is $550 and a host is $1,100.
We’re not implying that the Western Slope folks mostly see the governor when he’s campaigning or he’s attending events at our finer, swanky resorts, that’s exactly what we mean.