Bill Clinton's 'rogue' endorsement

In Colorado's Senate primary, Clinton is throwing his support behind a rival to the Obama-backed incumbent. Is this a sign of a Democratic party rift?

Why is Clinton endorsing Romanoff?
(Image credit: Getty)

In a development that has exposed a two-year-old rift within the Democratic Party, Bill Clinton this week endorsed former Colorado state House speaker Andrew Romanoff's candidacy for Senate. President Obama has thrown his support to Romanoff's opponent, incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who was appointed after Obama named former senator Ken Salazar as Interior secretary. Is this a significant split, or just a harmless difference of opinion ahead of the state's Aug. 10 primary? (Watch a local report about Clinton's endorsement)

This is no big deal: The Romanoff endorsement is grabbing headlines, says Alex Altman at Time, but with Bennet far ahead in the polls, "its impact on the race itself may be largely symbolic." Clinton won't even be fundraising or stumping for Romanoff. That's probably why the former president "felt comfortable" opposing Obama on this one.

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