President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee have decided to hold their 2024 national convention in crime-infested, criminal-coddling Chicago.  How appropriate.

The Colorado delegation might wonder if they ever left Denver going from one crime-infested city that undermines law enforcement, defends illegal drug abuse and tolerates  homeless encampments to another one a thousand miles away.

However, unlike Chicago, which recently replaced one disastrous mayor with another one just as bad, Denver actually might elect a new mayor who will finally attempt to confront the realities of a city in deep decline. But just like Chicago, self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists in Denver are hell bent to maintain the disastrous status quo destroying both cities.

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By the time the Democratic National Convention (DNC) occurs in July 2024, both cities will have had new mayors for more than a year and it will be clear where both are heading.

Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough are strong candidates who recognize how far Denver has fallen during the 12 years of benign neglect under outgoing Mayor Michael Hancock. The once-great City of Denver has gone from the aspirational exhortation of former Mayor Federico Pena to “Imagine a Great City” in 1983 to one dripping with the doubt of “Can We Ever Imagine a Safe Denver Again?” in 2023.

Both Johnston and Brough are demonstrating they will not be bound by the failures of the past. They are both proposing strong public policies that directly confront the drivers of Denver’s decline. It is already apparent that regardless of the outcome of this election, Denver has a win-win choice in terms of both candidates’ agendas.

The only question is if Democratic Socialists, who outright won in Chicago and who are ascendant in Denver, can undermine and ultimately stop the common sense agenda of whoever is the next Denver mayor.

Meanwhile, Chicago had the opportunity to move from the disastrous tenure of Mayor Lori Lightfoot who finished in an embarrassing third place in Chicago’s initial election for mayor. Chicagoans were presented with a clear choice between Paul Vallas, a respected former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a far-left union organizer who only a few years ago wanted to defund the Chicago police.

Though the Chicago Police Union endorsed Vallas, the powerful Chicago Teachers Union endorsed Johnson, who was elected mayor. The cops lost. Vallas was accused of being a “Republican in disguise” because of his support for law enforcement.

Recently, during yet another weekend of violence, the Chicago news media reported 32 people were shot and eight killed. Later on, hundreds of young people converged on downtown Chicago and though they were initially peaceful, the gathering descended into chaos and destruction of public and private property.

Mayor-elect Johnson said he did not “condone” the violence but he predictably defended the offenders by saying they should not be “demonized” for their violence.

The incident and the mayor-elect’s response were reminiscent of the riots in downtown Denver in May 2020 in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. Though initially a peaceful protest, violent rioters ended up roaming the streets destroying public and private property including attacks on the unprotected Colorado State Capitol. 

Gov. Jared Polis holed up in his exclusive Boulder home and not only did nothing to protect the Capitol, for several days he said nothing at all about the attacks.

Self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists could potentially win four of 13 seats on the Denver City Council. Another three liberal council members are capable of joining those four Democratic Socialists in undermining the mainstream agenda of the new mayor with a seven-vote majority.

Chicago has chosen the path of continued Democratic Socialist self-destruction, which will be on full display during the convention next year. Denver still has the opportunity to rally around a new mainstream mayor and reject the ideological leftist fringe of the Democratic Party. 

We will know by the time the Democratic National Convention meets in Chicago next year which path Denver has chosen.

Dick Wadhams is a Republican political consultant and a former Colorado Republican state chairman.