CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As governor of Colorado for eight years, John Hickenlooper built a reputation focused on economic development and getting things done.
Now, as one of more than 20 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination and for the right to challenge President Trump, Hickenlooper is known as little more than another presidential hopeful with an unusual name.
The 67-year-old former brewpub entrepreneur last Sunday had to introduce himself to the crowd at a Cedar Rapids brewery.
While Hickenlooper left office in January this year with one of the highest approval ratings of governors across the country, he has struggled to make a dent in presidential primary polls. The latest CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of likely Democratic Iowa caucus-goers found he had 0% support, while RealClearPolitics’ polling average puts him at 0.8%.
His pragmatic pitch has not resonated with a Democratic primary base veering to the Left that embraces socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who comes in second place in most polls. Last weekend, Hickenlooper evoked boos at the California Democratic convention when he said that “socialism is not the answer” to “beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals.”
Hickenlooper is trying to bring his “pragmatic progressive” legacy to the national stage. As a two-term governor, he streamlined state regulations, courted businesses to set up shop in Colorado, expanded Medicare, and tightened firearm restrictions following the 2012 Aurora, Colo., mass shooting.
Still, Hickenlooper says he’s the candidate who can best confront Trump. Wearing a purple, plaid shirt, he pointed to a sterling silver belt buckle showing a donkey inside of a gear.
“The point of the belt is a message to Democrats everywhere: Get your ass in gear,” the former Colorado governor told the Washington Examiner, adding that the buckle was a gift from a Denver-based artist during his first gubernatorial campaign.
Hickenlooper took a softer tone in a speech to 1,400 people at the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame forum in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, where 19 presidential candidates spoke. “We must present a bold vision for the future, but we must also acknowledge that the most effective attack the Republicans can level against us is one of socialism,” he said.
Iowa Democrats did not boo him, but some in the crowd were turned off by his message.
“He was talking more about pragmatic solution, problem solving and stuff, but I think we need somebody in there who is progressive,” 27-year-old Sara Lemke, who works at a food bank in Des Moines, told the Washington Examiner.
Hickenlooper is outwardly unfazed by his place in the polls and negative reactions to his approach.
“At this point, people aren’t paying attention,” Hickenlooper told reporters. “Jimmy Carter, he was essentially at 1% or 2% right in through March, April, May,” Hickenlooper said, referring to the former president’s winning 1976 underdog campaign.
For now, the former governor is letting voters get to know him and trying to be himself.
“I want to be as natural as possible,” he said.
A successful brewpub and restaurant entrepreneur before entering politics, Hickenlooper was in his comfort zone at the The Quarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery in Cedar Rapids. He spent half an hour greeting attendees before pouring beers for himself and others sitting at the bar. Each person at the campaign stop received a free beer ticket — not a normal occurrence at his events, according to a campaign aide, but a special treat before the Hall of Fame forum later that day.
Iowans who showed up at Hickenlooper’s event were generally unfamiliar with him, but felt they need to do their due diligence to meet all the Democratic presidential candidates.
“He’s okay, I kind of wish he would’ve spoke a little bit longer,” 39-year-old Aime Wichtendahl, wearing a vintage Gore 2000 campaign button, told the Washington Examiner. “When you’re kind of running down middle-lower of the pack, you’ve got to try to do something to stand out.” Wichtendahl, who works in customer service and serves on the Hiawatha, Iowa city council, is more interested in South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren — two presidential candidates who have made headlines with their progressive stances and unique characteristics.
Standing out in a 24-candidate presidential field packed with senators and governors is a tough task for Hickenlooper, especially when former Vice President Joe Biden, who is near-universally known, is also thought of as a middle-ground candidate.
But Hickenlooper plans to get better known as primary season continues, and he is confident that he will meet Democratic National Committee thresholds for future debates.
“Whatever the requirements are to get into those third and fourth debates, I think I’ll get there. Whatever the number of small donors is, I’ll get there. Whatever the place in the polling is, I think I’ll get there,” Hickenlooper told the Washington Examiner Friday after touring The Foundry, a new food and beverage hall in West Des Moines. “It’s an incremental approach, but honestly, I think I’m going to win Iowa.”
