Hickenlooper Ahead of Republican Challengers

Rasmussen Reports published his first gubernatorial poll of the 2014 political season. The results reinforce the view that Governor Hickenlooper recovered somewhat from his 2013 doldrums and still faces a Republican field that doesn’t seriously challenge him. However, the poll was conducted before former Congressman Bob Beauprez got in the race. Secretary of State Scott Gessler was the closest rival at 38 percent to 44 percent for Hickenlooper (6 points and beyond the margin of error).

Observation:

• Unless the Republican field sharpens up, Hickenlooper is likely to survive his decidedly mixed first-term performance.
• Even non-federal Democratic candidates are being hurt by the drag of President Obama and the ACA. And, it’s unlikely to improve much through November.
• The early reviews of Beauprez’s entrance into the race has been mixed, but his impact may be underestimated. He has a residue of goodwill from years of supporting the party and being a spokesperson; he has avoided controversy, a unique attribute among Republican gubernatorial candidates; and he promises to invest serious money into the race.
• If the Republicans could find a strong candidate, this could be a two- or three-point race, and although the incumbent governor has a small advantage, this promises to be a very difficult year for incumbent Democrats.

See:
Rasmussen Reports: Election 2014: Colorado Governor
The Colorado Observer: Democrat unity crumbles over fracking issue