When Colorado Democrat John Hickenlooper was elected governor four years ago, the ebullient former Denver mayor and brew-pub magnate could do little wrong.
Once spoken of as a possible vice presidential candidate in 2016, the 62-year-old has burnished his man-of-the-people image with impromptu banjo performances and folksy charm.
But after a first term wrought by controversies over gun laws, fracking and taxes, and with a strong Republican establishment candidate now lined up against him, Hickenlooper is now enmeshed in a tougher reelection fight than had been expected.
Painting the governor as weak and unprincipled, Republican opponents jumped on an apology he made to the state’s elected sheriffs for approving part of a package of gun control laws following the Aurora and Newtown shootings.
And environmentalists have also slammed the former geologist for being too cozy with energy company executives in the state’s emotive debate about fracking.
“It’s going to be a very close race,” said Floyd Ciruli, an independent Denver pollster and political analyst, adding that he thinks Colorado’s strong economic recovery gives Hickenlooper the edge.
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