Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper dropped his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, after languishing in the polls and seeing key staff departures in recent weeks.
Hickenlooper, a former Denver mayor who made his name locally as the owner of popular brew pubs, never gained traction in the presidential race. With more than 25 rivals, Hickenlooper couldn’t vault into the top tier, or even a secondary position, against former Vice President Joe Biden, California Sen. Kamala Harris, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, among others.
“A little over six months ago, I announced my run for President,” Hickenlooper said in a statement Thursday. “In almost every aspect, this journey has been more exciting and more rewarding than I ever imagined. Although, of course, I did imagine a very different conclusion.”
Hickenlooper, who served as Colorado governor from 2011 to 2019, consistently polled in the low single digits, along with weak fundraising numbers. Several staff members recently quit after urging Hickenlooper to ditch the presidential contest and instead run for Senate. While the former governor initially resisted, he has been mulling such a move, as he noted in his departure statement from the presidential race.
“People want to know what comes next for me. I’ve heard from so many Coloradans who want me to run for the United States Senate,” Hickenlooper said. “They remind me how much is at stake for our country. And our state. I intend to give that some serious thought. I’ve been a geologist, a small businessman, a Mayor, a Governor and a candidate for President of the United States. At each step, I’ve always looked forward with hope. And I always will.”
If Hickenlooper entered the Senate race, he would become an instant front-runner for his party’s nomination, with residual high popularity ratings in his state. Several other prominent Democrats are already in the primary race, including former State Department official Dan Baer, former state Sen. Mike Johnston, former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and former U.S. Attorney John Walsh.
The winner will face GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, first elected to the Senate in 2014 after four years in the House. Gardner has largely supported the agenda of the Trump administration and is considered a rising star by GOP officials. But Colorado’s increasingly Democratic tilt could make his reelection fight an uphill endeavor. Colorado has voted Democratic in the last three presidential races, and the party has had success of late in down-ballot races.
