Bad Economy has Shadowed Hickenlooper’s Career

When John Hickenlooper won his mayoral election in 2003 with 64 percent of the vote, the economy was the main issue on voters’ minds. Hickenlooper’s business background and non-partisan image was the right fit for an election concerned about balancing budgets and finding jobs. Hickenlooper’s experience as an economic development advocate and budget balancer helped in his latest campaign and should serve him well as governor.

Next year’s Denver mayoral election will likely attract a host of candidates, and the economy and budget cuts will again be the major topics. The last poll conducted for 9News/Denver Post two weeks before the 2003 Denver election had Hickenlooper in the lead with City Auditor Don Mares in second. Nearly one-third of the voters were undecided, and on Election Day, Penfield Tate came in third. Hickenlooper and Mares went on to the runoff.