John Hickenlooper Wins Colorado Senate Democrat Primary Despite Ethics Scandal

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) won the Colorado Senate Democrat primary, setting up a fight against incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO).

Hickenlooper was declared the winner of the Colorado Senate Democrat primary after moving towards the primary facing scandal and accusations of ethics violations.

“Thank you, Colorado!” Hickenlooper wrote on Tuesday. “I’m beyond honored to be your Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. Let’s get to work to beat Cory Gardner, flip the Senate, and bring change to Washington!”

The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission recently slapped Hickenlooper with the highest ethics penalty for his use of a corporate jet and Maserati limo. Hickenlooper was also held in contempt for failing to appear before the ethics commission regarding his ethics violations.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that Hickenlooper’s ethics scandal has complicated Democrats’ strategy for retaking the Senate majority. Gardner is viewed as one of the more vulnerable Senate Republicans during the 2020 elections.

Hickenlooper faced an increasingly competitive primary battle against former Colorado state House speaker Andrew Romanoff, who ran to Hickenlooper’s left. Romanoff had backed the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Hickenlooper ran as the more moderate candidate who claims that he can work with Republicans.

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement on Tuesday night that Hickenlooper has flouted Colorado ethics laws, thus showing that he is not worthy to represent Colorado in the Senate.

Democrats have recently described Hickenlooper’s controversies as a “hot mess” and a “sh*t show.”

Rodriguez said:

“By selecting John Hickenlooper as their nominee, Democrats put their hopes in a ‘sh–show’ campaign team and the guy who said himself he was “not cut out to be a Senator’,” said NRSC spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. “Over the next few months, voters are going to learn what Hickenlooper has been hiding – about his disregard for the law, his misuse of taxpayer funds, and all the illegal gifts and travel from his corporate sugar daddies.”

“If watching him fall apart under pressure these last few weeks is any indication, ‘hot mess’ Hickenlooper is in for a very bumpy ride,” Rodriguez said.