As Democrats worry about technology companies and the 'sharing economy,' GOP sees an opening

DENVER – The debate over ride-hailing firm Uber and companies like it is laying bare a divide in the Democratic Party and the left about how to handle the "sharing economy."

Republicans want to exploit that ambivalence and make inroads into a wealthy sector of the tech industry.

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton has pledged to crack down on companies that classify workers as contractors rather than employees — as critics contend Uber and others often do.

Some Democrats see technology hubs such as Silicon Valley as a symbol of income inequality.

But Republican candidates are making Silicon Valley a regular stop in their campaign and showing they value such companies.