What Colorado political leaders are saying about the closure of the Rocky Mountain News:
“The Rocky Mountain News has chronicled the storied, and at times tumultuous, history of Colorado for nearly 150 years. I am deeply saddened by this news, and my heart goes out to all the talented men and women at the Rocky. I am grateful for their hard work and dedication to not only their profession, but the people of Colorado as well.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver
“This is a sad day for Colorado journalism. The Rocky Mountain News has been an institution in our region and has informed the people of our state for 150 years. Colorado grew up with the Rocky; our history has been written on the pages of this great paper. I have enjoyed my relationship with many of the Rocky’s editorial writers and reporters, and my hope is that all of these good, hard-working Coloradans find ways to build new careers in journalism, public information and the printing trade.”
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs
“I am saddened that the people of Colorado are losing a great newspaper with a proud history. I have read the Rocky Mountain News for decades and will sorely miss it. My heart is with the Rocky and its employees.”
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
“It saddens me that the Rocky Mountain News is closing after such a long run. As the first newspaper I ever read, I have enjoyed its in depth coverage of Western issues. The News will be sorely missed.”
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver
“For almost 150 years Coloradans have looked to the Rocky Mountain News for its unique coverage of the goings on in our state. The Rocky and its staff have served our state well and will be missed.”
Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder
“Congressman Perlmutter’s thoughts are with all the loyal employees and their families as they get through these tough times.”
Leslie Oliver, spokeswoman for Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden
“For 150 years the Rocky Mountain News has served Coloradans, keeping readers engaged and informed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the employees and their families as they cope with job losses, and we look forward to better times ahead.”
Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Fort Collins
“Over the past 150 years, the Rocky has chronicled the West. They were there for the gold rush, the silver rush and the oil boom. They were there when the old mining towns turned to ghost towns. They wrote about cowboys and Indians, dustbowls and Super Bowls. And now sadly, they are reporting on their own demise. Farewell. You will be missed.”
Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs
“My late father grew up on a small family farm in what is now southwest Denver during the Great Depression. Until he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943, he sold the Rocky Mountain News in front of the Brown Palace Hotel to help support his family. I always think of him selling those newspapers every time I pass the hotel.”
Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora
“It was the morning paper when I was a kid, so I always read the Rocky first. It’s too bad. It was good to be a two-newspaper town, to see how the two papers covered issues differently.”
-Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, who has a framed Rocky Mountain News front page on his office wall at the Capitol. The dominant picture on the page shows Groff holding back tears after being elected the first black Senate president in Colorado history.
“I read The Rocky every day. One of the reasons I’ve always read it is they give great coverage on local issues and great coverage on political issues. We’re going to miss their expertise and their depth in those areas.”
Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver
“Since my dad was the governor, we certainly paid attention to the newspapers. There were happy days, and there were days we sat up at 4 a.m. waiting for that newspaper to hit.”
-Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver
“It’s a really sad day. I’m a third generation Coloradan. I’ve never known a Colorado without the Rocky Mountain News.”
-Senate Majority Leader Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont
“The Rocky has been an indispensable part of life in Colorado for a very long time. This is a historic loss for the Colorado community. When I was growing up, we got the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel and the Rocky Mountain News at our house. I was a huge John Elway fan. And never was there a picture of Elway in the Sentinel or the Rocky that I didn’t cut out and hang on my wall.”
-Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.
“I remember the good old days when the Rocky endorsed me for my Senate election (and I believe re-election)”
Former Democratic Sen. Gary Hart.
