The Post has an article today on Mayor Hickenlooper and his flirtation with running for governor next year. The article takes on the "Awww shucks, me?" tone that Hick has cultivated so well. It's like he's Opie Taylor, all grown up. If you've been around the Mayor in a small setting you'll quickly see he has a sizeable ego (that's meant simply as an observation, not a criticism I might add) and that his humble public image is just that - a humble public image.
My understanding is that Hickenlooper wants to run. He's never been personally close to Ritter and he, Hick, wanted that Senate seat every bit as much as Andrew Romanoff. Remember, Hickenlooper publicly stated he wanted the job - the only candidate to do so I believe - and was passed over for his protege.
Hickenlooper has polling that shows he can win the governor's seat but only if he runs as a Democrat, if he runs as an Independent that lead goes away. I've talked with a few politicos who have said they would absolutely vote for him in a primary against Ritter but would never vote to put an Independent in the governor's office. If you're a party person first that makes a lot of sense, a mediocre Democrat is better than an Independent.
Hickenlooper and Romanoff both could have been governor if they had run in 2006. They passed, Ritter waltzed in and has squandered most of his first term in office. Don't believe the spin coming from Hick now that others have approached him - he's been very much interested, he just doesn't have the stomach for a primary and that's his only path to victory.
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