DENVER—Michael Hancock is the youngest of 10 children who grew up in public housing and, as a kid, dreamed of becoming the city’s first black mayor.
The two-term city councilman achieved part of that dream Tuesday, handily defeating former state senator and fellow Democrat Chris Romer in a runoff election. Wellington Webb, elected Denver’s first black mayor in 1991, stood behind Hancock during his victory speech.
“I’m no stranger to challenges,” Hancock declared. “No one expected a poor kid from northeast Denver to become a city councilman. And 16 months ago, no one gave us much of a chance to be standing here tonight.”
Unofficial final results showed Hancock beat Romer 58 percent to 42 percent, or 70,780 votes to 51,082.
The spotlight will be on Hancock, 41, when he takes office July 18. He succeeds interim Mayor Guillermo “Bill” Vidal, who took over when John Hickenlooper became governor in January.
The mayor-elect said Wednesday that the man leading his transition team will be the same person who led Hickenlooper’s transition into the mayor’s office in 2003. John Huggins, the former director of Denver’s Office of Economic Development, also led Hickenlooper’s transition into the governor’s office.
Hancock said he’s accepting online applications, on a new website called “Denver Forward,” to work in his administration or volunteer on his transition team.
Hancock will have 60 days to close a $100 million budget deficit—amounting to a 10 percent cut in city finances—and the public awaits his decision on whether to keep Police Chief Gerald Whitman, whose department has been marred by repeated allegations of police brutality.
Hancock has already indicated he would not retain Whitman.
Huggins told The Associated Press that when Hickenlooper needed to close a $50 million shortfall in 2003, he directed city department heads to look at cutting between 5 and 10 percent of their budgets. Huggins said that is also a possibility with the new administration.
Other issues will be closely watched by surrounding cities, including the mass transit rail expansion known as FasTracks, which faces a $2 billion shortfall. Hancock said he’s open to raising taxes to meet a 2019 completion date. But it remains to be seen how voters—who would have to approve a hike—would take to the idea.
FasTracks includes a 12-mile line under construction to the west suburbs of Lakewood and Golden, and a 24-mile line from downtown’s Union Station to Denver International Airport.
Hancock told supporters he’s “ready to start work tomorrow,” but Tuesday night the mood was ecstatic, with the sound of booming music and popping balloons.
“So tonight, we celebrate this victory—and believe me, we’re going to party!” Hancock said.
Romer consoled his supporters.
“My cup is full. I am a lucky man. Just not tonight,” said the former investment banker who was known in the Legislature for tackling medical marijuana rules and trying to get in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.
He later went to Hancock’s victory party and they hugged.
Hancock’s life story resonated with voters as the campaign became increasingly feisty.
Born near Fort Hood, Texas, Hancock and his twin sister were the youngest of 10 children, raised by a single mother in public housing in Denver. His parents divorced when he was 6.
He was politically active as a teen, serving as president of Denver’s Manual High School. He was featured on a local television news segment called “Youth on the Move,” which showcased a tutoring program Hancock started to help younger students with their homework.
In the program, parts of which were used in a campaign ad, Hancock said he wanted to become Denver’s first black mayor.
Webb grinned Tuesday when asked about Hancock’s statement as a youth.
“That was appropriate for a 15-year-old,” he said. “But I saw him later and said he’ll just have to settle for being second.”
Hancock was elected to the Denver City Council in 2003, his first major political office, and served two terms as council president.
Romer was seen as an early front-runner because of his fundraising prowess and name recognition. His father is former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, and he raised nearly $2.6 million to Hancock’s $1.5 million.
Hancock withstood increasingly negative attacks in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Romer supporters used remarks by Hancock to characterize him as a candidate who did not believe in evolution and who thought creationism should be taught in schools.
Some voters said Romer’s negative ads backfired.
“I thought that Romer had too much to spend, and he spent it on negative, unpleasant advertising,” said Karen Snell, an employee at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Hancock’s wife, Mary, with whom Hancock has three children, said his political ambitions go back further. She said she first heard him say he wanted to be mayor when he was in middle school.
“And I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever,'” she said.
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Associated Press writer Thomas Peipert contributed to this report. Follow Ivan Moreno on Twitter at:
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Online:
Hancock transition website:
