After failing to gain traction in the massive Democratic presidential field, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced Thursday that he was ending his campaign. Hickenlooper ran as a sensible moderate opposed to the democratic socialism of Sen. Bernie Sanders, and tried to highlight what he branded as many progressive accomplishments during his time as Colorado governor, but couldn’t generate much interest and was unlikely to make the next round of debates.
In a video (watch below), Hickenlooper didn’t sound like someone who’s ready to leave electoral politics altogether. “I ran for president because this country is being ripped apart by politics and partisan games while our biggest problems go unsolved,” he said. “Today, I’m ending my campaign for president, but I will never stop believing that America can only move forward when we work together.”
National Democrats have worked hard to recruit Hickenlooper to run for Senate against incumbent Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, a key 2020 Democratic pick-up opportunity in the must-win Senate, but he didn’t announce a decision on that front, saying only that “I intend to give that some serious thought.” There are already 11 candidates in the Colorado Senate primary, though polls suggest Hickenlooper would quickly take the lead.