One of the most prominent reasons Democrats dominate
Colorado politics and appear undisturbed in their position as they enter the
2014 election cycle is the lack of serious primaries.
John Hickenlooper is popular with the public at large, but
highly irritating to the Democratic Party’s ideological left. Hardcore anti-growth environmentalists, who
felt Gov. Bill Ritter was theirs, and more recently emboldened anti-gun
factions, are critical of Hickenlooper in their legislative offices and
meetings and their blogs, but there is no hint (as yet) of a primary as
Hickenlooper begins his re-election lap.
Frankly, there is no hint the Republicans can find a
credible candidate either and they’re working at it.
It is the Republican Party since the 2004 Senate race that
has been plagued by deeply divisive primaries. Even the Democrats’ most bitter
recent primary in 2010 between Andrew Romanoff and Michael Bennet was mostly
about personal ambition and not serious ideological, demographic or geographic
divisions.
A considerable amount of good fortune, combined with
political pragmatism, has contributed to the Democratic Party’s ability to
nominate reasonably moderate candidates without primaries.
See
Denver Post: Hickenlooper: Universal background checks for guns is top priority
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