Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is thinking about joining a Democratic presidential primary increasingly defined by a hard pull to the left.
Hickenlooper’s path from geologist to brewer to Denver mayor to governor has come with some big victories along the way. And he’s pointing to those accomplishments to make sure he’s not labeled a moderate.
Spotlighting his achievements in Colorado – from close to 100 percent health care coverage to major cuts in auto emissions – he touted that “I think in many ways I’m more progressive than a lot of these other folks. We’re actually getting it done.”
And he explained, “to beat Donald Trump, we’re going to need someone who’s done stuff.”
Hickenlooper also described the Republican president as a bully.
“I grew up the skinny kid with glasses and a funny last name. I’ve dealt with bullies my whole life,” he said. “The way to deal with a bully is you don’t punch back and take them head on. You take what they say to you. You don’t necessarily ridicule them but you reframe it in a way that reveals the foolishness of what they’re saying and the weakness and insecurity that they’re demonstrating.”
Hickenlooper says he’s getting closer to deciding on a White House run. “Four weeks or six weeks. Sooner than later. We feel some sense of urgency,” the likely Democratic presidential contender told the Monitor on Thursday.
Hickenlooper took questions from the Monitor and other news organizations after headlining a town hall meeting at New England College, his last stop during a quick two-day swing through New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House.
We already knew that presidential contenders Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, plus South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and best-selling spiritual author Marianne Williamson were coming to New Hampshire over the 3-day Presidents Day weekend.
But wait, there’s more.
On Thursday we found out that declared presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is coming to the state this weekend. She’ll make a stop at True Brew Barista in Concord at 6 p.m. on Saturday, as well as in Keene earlier in the day. On Sunday the Iraq War veteran and first Hindu to serve in Congress will headline an event with the Newington Democrats.
And the Monitor learned that potential White House contender Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio is headed to the state next Tuesday through Thursday. Ryan will hold meetings with Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, the New Hampshire Young Democrats, the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire, and he’ll sit in on an undergraduate business class at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
Gillibrand becomes the latest presidential contender to hire staff in New Hampshire.
On Thursday her campaign formally announced that Pat Devney will serve as her state director. Devney managed U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster’s successful 2014 re-election in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District. And he steered the 2016 campaign of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Colin Van Ostern. Last cycle, Devney served as senior adviser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Devney accompanied Gillibrand during her trip two weeks ago to New Hampshire and he planned this weekend’s jam-packed three-day swing. The details of that trip were first reported by the Monitor.
Also coming on board is Shannon MacLeod, who will serve as the campaign’s New Hampshire political director.
McLeod worked on Van Ostern’s 2016 gubernatorial campaign and she managed his bid last year for New Hampshire secretary of state. She also served as finance director on Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig’s successful 217 campaign.
Granite State lawmakers took a step toward helping Sen. Bernie Sanders get on the New Hampshire primary ballot if he launches a 2020 White House bid.
A move Wednesday by the House Election Law Committee could allow the independent senator from Vermont to avoid a possible challenge to his eligibility to run in the first-in-the-nation primary.
The panel gave a thumbs up to a bill that would allow someone who’s not registered in a particular political party to run in that party’s presidential primary, as long as that person’s a “recognized candidate” for the White House in that particular party.
A little bit of history is needed for context.
When Sanders, who’s long been an independent, ran for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, his status put him at odds with Granite State law requiring a candidate to declare that he or she’s a “registered member” of the party in which they were running.
Longtime Secretary of State Bill Gardner accepted Sanders’ declaration of candidacy when he filed in November 2015 to get on the primary ballot. After filing, Sanders told reporters that he would run in future elections as a Democrat.
But Sanders last year ran for re-election for his Senate seat as an independent.
Ballot Law Commission chair Brad Cook recently told the Election Law Committee members that under current law, Sanders would not be allowed on the primary ballot. And he supported legislation that would adjust the law to allow Sanders on the primary ballot.
Freshman Rep. Chris Pappas – who succeeded Carol Shea-Porter in representing New Hampshire’s First Congressional District, is coming to Laconia to hold his third town hall since taking office.
The former three-term Democratic executive councilor from Manchester will take questions from the public on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakes Region Community College at 370 Belmont Road in Laconia.