Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat in his home state, aiming to challenge Senator Cory Gardner in a contest crucial for Democrats to flip the Senate in 2020.
Hickenlooper's decision comes after he ended his presidential campaign last week, citing his desire to 'get things done' in Washington.
‘I’ve always said Washington was a lousy place for a guy like me who wants to get things done,’ Hickenlooper said in a video posted on his campaign website. ‘But this is no time to walk away from the table.’
With his laid-back style and moderate politics, Hickenlooper remains popular in Colorado, a battleground state. A recent poll showed him with more than a 50-point lead over the current leading Democrats in the race for the party’s nomination for the Senate seat.
Democrats will need to pick up at least three seats to take control of the Senate, but the party has struggled to convince some of its highest-profile names to run. Former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas and Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana have been urged by some members of their party to drop out of the presidential race and make Senate bids.
