Mayor John Hickenlooper's profile aired on April 24th at 4 pm ; challenger Danny Lopez's profile aired on April 25th. Both are presented as a single article online, as excerpted below:
John Hickenlooper
...Hickenlooper came from a career running restaurants to win a resounding victory in June 2003. He promised better relations with the city of Aurora and with the state of Colorado and by all accounts, has delivered. However, his biggest campaign pledge was to do business differently; to treat Denver city government as a business.
He sees this re-election campaign as a referendum on whether Denver voters think he's come through on his goals...
Despite significant popular support (poll results show his approval ratings in the 70 percent range), his administration has made decisions that have been challenged. He entered office with a budget deficit and vowed not to cut city services to balance it. His decision to put all city workers on unpaid leave for three days left numerous employees angry. Plus, the fact the city was crippled for a period of time during last winter's blizzard opened Hickenlooper's administration to criticism that he was out of touch.
He says he hopes Denver residents realize his administration may not have been perfect, but it worked as hard as possible to create a better, more accountable city...
Danny Lopez
Danny Lopez realizes the odds he's facing taking on incumbent John Hickenlooper, but the Public Works employee is drawing inspiration from the smallest Denver Nugget as he seeks to make history.
"I'm out there to give voters an alternative choice to Mayor Hickenlooper," said Lopez. "If there are people out there not satisfied with the job he's done, they at least have an alternative choice. If Allen Iverson is the 'Answer,' Danny Lopez is the 'Alternative.'"...
"I think there are some poor neighborhoods this administration has forgotten," Lopez said. "The city workers are clearly forgotten. Forty percent of the workforce hasn't seen a raise in four years."
Lopez is not one of that 40 percent, but believes it is his responsibility to stand up for those who don't feel capable of standing up for themselves...
The self-described underdog wants to be known as the "Alternative" and if he proves successful, he says his victory will be remembered as Denver's "great miracle."
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