Nearly half of Colorado’s voters don’t think John Hickenlooper should be re-elected next year, but the governor’s lead over a bevy of Republican challengers is growing.

Forty-nine percent of voters surveyed in the latest Quinnipiac University poll said the Democrat doesn’t deserve re-election, a number that nearly matches his overall approval rating in the state. But it’s not all doom-and-gloom for Hickenlooper as he leads former U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo 46 percent to 41 percent in the poll—a welcome sight for the governor who was in a virtual tie with his 2010 gubernatorial challenger just a few months ago. In addition to Tancredo, Hickenlooper has leads over Republican State Senator Greg Brophy, former State Senator Mike Kopp, and Secretary of State Scott Gessler. Polling data show Hickenlooper has strong support among Latinos, especially against Tancredo, who is well-known nationally for his support of tougher immigration measures.

“Almost half of Colorado voters don’t want to give Governor Hickenlooper four more years, but they seem to like the other guys a little less,” Tim Malloy, assistant director of Quinnipiac’s polling, told the Denver Post.

Also reported in the polling was a negative opinion of the Democrat-controlled state legislature, which earlier passed sweeping gun-control laws and saw two of the measures’ backers lose seats to recall efforts. According to the Quinnipiac poll, only 36 percent of voters approve of the legislature, while 51 percent disapprove.

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