May 11, 2011 11:46 PM UTC

Hancock's Insider Messaging

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• by: Colorado Pols

We touched on this in a post earlier today, but we think it warrants another. From a press release we received from Michael Hancock‘s campaign:

City Leaders Stand United to Endorse Hancock

Today many of Denver’s most prominent elected officials affirmed their strong support for Michael Hancock to be Denver’s next mayor. Since announcing his candidacy in November, Michael has steadily garnered the endorsement and support from a critical mass of Denver’s leaders.

“I have worked with Michael for eight years,” Councilman Charlie Brown said. “He’s sure and he’s steady, and that beats fast and reckless every time. We need a mayor who will be bold without being reckless.  Michael’s actions will be tempered by his time on City Council. Michael may have a calm demeanor, but when the decisions call for it, he will be a “cowboy tough” mayor.”

Michael’s newest endorsements today included City Council members Paul Lopez, Charlie Brown,Marcia Johnson, Peggy Lehmann and Judy Montero, City Councilman-elect Chris Herndon, former RTD Board Member and city council candidate Chris Martinez and former City Council at-large candidates Josh Davies and Rich Gonzalez.

The endorsers pledged their support and vote for Michael because they know and trust his leadership.  They believe that Michael is the right choice to continue to work with the city to build Denver, bringing every one to the table to make the tough decisions and eliminate the budget deficits.

A flood of city leaders have previously come out in strong support of Michael and his vision for Denver, including Former Mayor Wellington Webb, City Council members at-large and former mayoral candidates Carol Boigon and Doug Linkhart, former City Councilwomen Elbra Wedgeworth and Happy Haynes and Denver School Board Members Theresa Pena and Mary Seawell.

It’s clear that Hancock’s trying to send the message that he has the support of most of the City Council. But is that really the best message to be sending?

On one hand, Hancock is now able to show that Romer isn’t the best person to lead Denver because “the people who know Denver best,” its policymakers and leaders, support Hancock.

On the other hand, is it beneficial to be the “insider’s choice” particularly when those insiders supported Hancock’s biggest Achilles Heel: the pay raise vote?

Ultimately, it’s a question over which polls better. Hancock is now able to portray himself as a trusted voice of the people who know Denver. He’s able to in some ways frame his candidacy as a continuation of the Hickenlooper years. That’s strikingly powerful. Unfortunately, in doing so, it allows Romer to take on the role of the “outsider.” It’s ironic, because few would consider Romer to have any standing as anything other than the status quo, but Hancock may have given Romer that card to play.

Hancock and his team may be confident enough in their data and polling to assume that being the insider’s choice is the best message. On the other hand, it may be the only message they’ve got for now, and so they’re riding it as a positive until Romer turns it into a negative, as he’s already doing.

What say you, Polsters?