Kelly Brough displayed once again last week why she is the right fit for Denver as its next mayor – and why she earns our endorsement in the June 6 mayoral runoff.

At a Gazette-cohosted debate between the two finalists in the race, both Brough and her opponent demonstrated extensive knowledge of the complex issues facing the city, and they were adept at dissecting those issues and articulating solutions. Both candidates also, laudably, were models of civility – so refreshing in today’s political climate.

But two fundamentals distinguished Brough at the Thursday debate at the University of Denver – as they have throughout the campaign – experience and empathy.

Brough, after all, served as chief of staff to then-Mayor (now U.S. Sen.) John Hickenlooper. And in some ways, perhaps more so than any of the other 2023 mayoral hopefuls, she has lived the life and weathered the travails of so many Denverites. Both of those strengths were on display at this latest public forum, as at others. Her thoughtful answers showed both a practical understanding of how City Hall actually functions – and an ability to connect with Denverites about the real-world impact of City Hall’s policies.

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The chief of staff at City Hall is essentially the shadow mayor. As Hickenlooper’s chief, Brough was the ramrod who got things done; the air-traffic controller who set priorities; the wonk who analyzed policy, and the ambassador to the city’s diverse stakeholders. It honed her as a CEO, as did her tenure as longtime chief of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. It’s that formidable skill set she would bring back to the mayor’s office.

At the same time, she’d be a CEO who never leaves behind her feel for how policies affect ordinary people. She’s one of them, after all. As we noted here earlier in the campaign, Kelly Brough’s life could be a reflection of Denver itself; she can relate on a very personal level to some of the city’s most daunting challenges.

Like its struggle with crime and drug abuse. Her father was murdered when she was a child. Her late husband lost a battle with addiction, ending in suicide. More recently, her household fell prey to the city’s epidemic of auto theft. As she told The Gazette’s editorial board not long ago, “This discussion about public safety is not a theoretical discussion for me.”

Her stands on the issues, as well, reflect the concerns of everyday Denverities.

That includes the crime fight – one of the metro area’s most pressing issues. Brough supports an all-of-the-above approach, including a fully staffed, funded and transparent police department as well as other first responders to address issues like addiction or mental health.

On homelessness, Brough wants to address it regionally with other metro-area governments. She aims to develop better data and use it to address the diverse needs of homeless people so they no longer seek to camp. For those who refuse the options City Hall would offer them under a Brough administration, she would enforce the camping ban.

On affordable housing: She would partner with builders to develop private, multi-family housing on city-owned property – above parking lots, for example. It could slash the cost of high-density, residential development.

Regarding what she (and many others) calls Denver Public Schools’ “dysfunctional” board, she would use her bully pulpit as mayor to champion better school board candidates in the next election.

On those and other issues, in other words, she is in synch with the city.

Immensely qualified, acutely in touch, intimately familiar with the terrain, smart on the issues – and ready to go to work. Kelly Brough has earned Denverites’ vote as their next mayor.

Denver Gazette Editorial Board