After being laid off in the 80's, John Hickenlooper was out of work for two years before he and a friend opened a brewery in an abandoned part of Denver. With other business owners, he helped create a new neighborhood that became a national model for urban revitalization.  In 2003, Hickenlooper ran and won as a dark horse for Mayor of Denver. He eliminated a $70 million budget deficit without major service cuts or layoffs--cutting his own salary by 25%. He instituted major police reform, expanded pre-k, and created a sweeping mass-transit plan. In 2010, he ran successfully for Governor. He was reelected in 2014: one of only three Democrats to win a swing state in one of the worst cycles for Democrats in 25 years. Since 2010, Colorado jumped from 40th in job growth to become the #1 economy in the country. Colorado has one of the fastest growing rural economies in the nation and nearly 95% of Coloradans have healthcare coverage. Hickenlooper brought oil companies and environmentalists together to pass the strictest methane regulations in the country, helped rebuild communities after major fires and floods ravaged Colorado, and stood up to the NRA to pass landmark gun legislation.