DENVER — A fixture in Colorado politics, Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper hopes to maintain his seat in the federal government following the midterm election, while Republican State Sen. Mark Baisley believes the state is ready for new representation.
Denver7 spoke with both candidates about their priorities for the Senate as Coloradans prepare to cast their ballots with less than a month to spare.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Watch the extended version of the story below:
John Hickenlooper
Democratic U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper is running for reelection in what he says will be his last campaign for political office.
“It's like coming over the hill and seeing how much good you have in front of you, but having a destination that's within sight," Hickenlooper said.
A former Colorado governor and Denver mayor, Hickenlooper listed a number of priorities he promised to address if voters send him back to the Senate.
"Obviously, I think we need to end the war immediately. That's driving up diesel prices, fertilizer prices. It's making life miserable for farmers and ranchers across Colorado, across the country. Not to mention putting our our soldiers at risk and costing the overall American economy about $200 billion," Hickenlooper said.
According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon requested more than $200 billion from Congress to fund the war in Iran.
A report prepared by the Congressional Budget Office claims that the conflict has cost the Department of Defense roughly $38 billion as of Aug. 2026.
"If you include all the increased costs of gas, diesel, the military expenses — and we're borrowing that money — so end the war, begin to get a hold of inflation, and then wrestle with the tariffs, because right now everything is — inflation is everywhere. It's in groceries, it's in housing. You name it," Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper hopes to see Democrats take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate following the midterm elections.
"Congress is supposed to be the only place where you can declare war. Well, I can guarantee it's the one place where we can stop war," Hickenlooper said.
Denver7 asked Hickenlooper about decisions he has made since being in the Senate, like voting to confirm Brooke Rollins as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
"I would say, not just Ms. Rollins, but all of the President's appointees, they've become rubber stamps, and I would say I am deeply disappointed. And those that I did vote for, I think it was a mistake. I thought they would push back, and not one of them has really pushed back against the president. At least, not in any way we can see," Hickenlooper said.
During the primary election, Hickenlooper secured the nomination against State Sen. Julie Gonzalez, with the Associated Press calling the race when results showed he obtained 52.8% of the vote.
“This is a time when people are are pissed, right? Republicans, Democrats, everyone's pissed off. They want out with the old, in with the new," Hickenlooper said. "Julie ran a good campaign, but we didn't take anything for granted. We were out there every day going full tilt. We did forums and town hall meetings, everything we could do, and it paid off. We won. A lot of people around the country were a lot less fortunate and ended up losing primaries.”
When asked about being considered the more moderate Democratic candidate in the primary election, Hickenlooper pushed back.
"I believe that I am just as progressive as Julie, right? I've said for forever, since 1977, I'm on the record that health care should be a right and not a privilege," Hickenlooper said. "If you look at the issue of the war, we both agree that the war is chaotic and crazy. We both agree that housing costs too much. We both agree that climate change is a real threat and has to be addressed. And we both agree that working people need to be able to pay for their heating and their cooling, their utilities. We disagree sometimes on the process, but I think the Democratic Party is a big tent. It always has been and needs to be. And I think that Julie and I can operate perfectly well in the same tent.”
Hickenlooper told Denver7 he believes there is a way to repair what he considers problems caused by the current federal administration.
"We can fix that as we go forward and rebuild the economy in ways that are more equitable and in ways that are more sustainable for the environment," said Hickenlooper. "So, that's my hope.”
Politics
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Mark Baisley
Republican State Sen. Mark Baisley believes Coloradans are ready for a change.
"We have been single-party rule for so long. If things had just improved and it was markedly better, I think we would look forward to a lot more blue. But, that's not the case," Baisley said. "John Hickenlooper is the best known politician in the state. No two ways about it. So, I'm offering the alternative to those folks who would say, 'Yeah, time for John to go brew beer again.'”
With a background in the aerospace defense industry, Baisley spent the last eight years working as a lawmaker in the Colorado State Capitol.
"I've worked real hard on bringing business to Colorado. So, worked on bringing the tech hub for quantum computing here. I was front and center when bringing the Sundance Festival to Colorado, and CHIPS manufacturing through the CHIPS Act, the semiconductor manufacturing," Baisley said.
Baisley believes in what he described as a "small and frugal government."
"I want a small footprint in our lives. I don't want the government telling us that we have to pay 10 cents a bag at the grocery store, but I do want the government to build roads to facilitate commerce, to build a great airport like we have at DIA, to attract companies and visitors to come to Colorado, and to have our roads in good shape so that we facilitate the transportation of cargo and people's liberties of being able to get wherever they want to go," Baisley explained. “There is a good rule for government, and we need to do it wisely. We need to stop managing the people's behavior.”
Denver7 asked Baisley about claims made by Hickenlooper's campaign, which cites a video credited to the Colorado Times Recorder where the Republican candidate says "if you look around in the state legislature, the 100 of us, the 65 representatives and 35 senators, you'll see that there is a larger than representative population of LGBTQ folks, members of that body. Why do you suppose that is? I believe that the reason that that is, is first of all, that they are in rebellion against nature."
"I don't even remember saying that," Baisley said when asked for his interpretation of the comment. "In fact, when I had that brought up to me recently, I used my browser search engine and I found zero cases of my saying that anywhere.”
Baisley continued to explain the phrase "rebellion against nature."
"I use that statement, rebellion against the laws of nature, a lot, because you know there are three branches of science. There's the natural sciences and the formal sciences and the social sciences. Now, in the social sciences, we know cause and effect. If you have this huge government, if you have an oppressive government; it is not good for the people. It might be good for the leadership; it's not good for the people," said Baisley. “Building a big government, an oppressive government, one that charges you the 10 cents for your bags or groceries, tells you that you can't work anymore if you don't get this vaccination — all the many things — reaching down, telling, trying to micromanage your parenting, and that sort of thing, that is going beyond, and that is in conflict with the laws of nature.”
According to Baisley, he believes politicians should not regulate marriage.
"Marriage is is a religious institution, and I don't believe that it's an appropriate role for government to license the religious institution of marriage," said Baisley. "I stay neutral on that myself. I have gay friends, we all do, and love them to pieces. And I wish them nothing but joy in their lives, but I don't think it's an appropriate role for us to manage marriage.”
In Colorado, the race to become the state's next governor has garnered national attention. Attorney General Phil Weiser is running as the Democratic candidate against Republican nominee Victor Marx, a Christian ministry leader.
Denver7 asked Baisley if he endorses Marx.
"I only endorse on two instances. One is if I talk that person into running, then I'm kind of obligated to endorse them. And second, if during the primary, if I am really concerned that we're going to choose someone who would be bad for the Republican Party, then I will endorse in those instances. Otherwise, I withhold my endorsement," Baisley said. “Endorsement comes with a deeper meaning than support. I support Victor Marx for governor, and I have been on stage a lot with him over the past month or so. I was just at his home last week, and I hope everyone votes for Victor Marx for governor.”
In the race for Senate, Baisley hopes Coloradans will decide to send him to Washington, D.C.
"When I look at the mission of the United States Senate — it is such a lofty position that I barely feel worthy of asking for that role myself," said Baisley. "But to waste that in the way that it seems to be wasted now, I think we need to do better."
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