Party Divided on Fracking

Governor John Hickenlooper gathered headlines and cash as the first quarter 2014 financial reports showed he raised $1 million and now totally dominates the field ($1.6 million cash on hand). The combined first quarter take of his Republican opponents doesn’t equal one million dollars.

His performance shows that much of Colorado’s political money establishment has decided Hickenlooper looks like a winner.

But, the week was not all good news. Democrats were unable to put aside their differences over fracking and, more generally, deal with global warming, which are the core issues now fracturing the party.

Several polls show fracking has narrow support in Colorado and a complete ban is opposed, but the Democratic Party is highly divided, and two-thirds (42% Quinnipiac poll) say they are less likely to support candidates who support fracking.