Big $pender
Almost immediately after GOP gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton won his party’s nomination, we started receiving press releases announcing GOP electeds’ endorsement of Stapleton. We assumed that intra-party endorsement was a forgone conclusion until we realized that nobody on the left had endorsed Jared Polis after he captured the Democratic nomination for Governor.
What gives?
It took almost a full day and ribbing from local press to get Hick to begrudgingly endorse Polis. We suspect this comes back to the great divide between Hick and Polis.
While Hick failed to endorse in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, he did boost Donna Lynne at most public appearances. Lynne, not Polis, was really Hick’s pick. In contrast, Polis has been a thorn in Hick’s side almost since day one.
The most obvious issue? Oil and gas. Remember when Polis tried to hold Colorado’s economy hostage with this threats of shutting down energy development? Yeah, good times. Unless you’re the governor. And worried about your legacy. Or running for higher office.
While Hick has been cautious about evaluating the impact that marijuana has on Colorado, Polis has been touted as the marijuana candidate. His victory is viewed as a huge win for pro-marijuana activists.
The divide isn’t just between Hick and Polis, but, really, Polis and everyone. We’re also still waiting on Democrats Rep. Ed Perlmutter, who dropped out of the gubernatorial primary early on, and Sen. Michael Bennet.
It’s hard to get elected as a one-man island.