Hickenlooper Goes to Iowa

The DU political panel last Thursday speculated that Governor Hickenlooper was running for president and would be on his way to Iowa (the first caucus state on the road to the White House). Hickenlooper, more or less, confirmed it over the weekend in D.C. at the National Governor’s meeting when he stated he would announce his decision later this year as his gubernatorial term ends. He said he doesn’t want his staff to be distracted with a presidential run.

He made himself available on national and D.C. media on school shootings (acts of terrorism) and a new proposal for health care announced with his fellow governors. He and Governor John Kasich of Ohio had already promoted a health proposal last August with some hints of an independent run for president. Kasich is making early moves to oppose President Trump’s nomination.

The Democratic primary in 2020 should be a wide open battle. Looking back to 1976 after the Nixon impeachment and Ted Kennedy decided not to run and the 1992 primary when Mario Cuomo left the field to a host of aspiring Democratic contenders, in both cases, moderate governors from southern states won the nomination.

Could this be the year for a moderate governor from Colorado?

Gov. John Hickenlooper joins others to push bipartisan National
Health Care Compromise, Feb. 25, 2018 | CBS Denver 

Tancredo is Out. Who Are the Frontrunners for Governor? A Panel of Experts.
Sponsored by the Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research
Moderator: Floyd Ciruli, Director of the Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research at the Korbel School; Panelists: Dick Wadhams – Republican campaign manager and former State Chair; Steve Welchert – Democratic campaign manager; Melanie Layton and Zoey DeWolf –Colorado lobbyists with Colorado Legislative Services; and Vincent Carroll – Former editorial page editor for Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post. Thursday, Feb. 22