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Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter “may have some fence-mending to do” with Hispanic voters after choosing Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet to replace Sen. Ken Salazar, rather than picking another Hispanic politician, according to a survey released Wednesday by Public Policy Polling (PPP). Ritter saw his support among Hispanics tumble by 28 points since mid-December, when Salazar opened up the Senate vacancy by accepting a nod to be secretary of the interior.

“Bill Ritter would probably be re-elected if the election was now,” PPP president Dean Debnam said in a letter accompanying the survey’s release. “But, he’s certainly not unbeatable, and it could be a competitive race next year with the right Republican candidate.