Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is the third Democratic presidential candidate to end his bid for the White House and told supporters on Aug. 15 that he’s mulling a run for Senate.
Reports that Hickenlooper was ending his bid circulated starting late Wednesday and he confirmed them on Thursday.
“I’m announcing that I’m no longer running for President. While this campaign didn’t have the outcome we were hoping for, every moment has been worthwhile & I’m thankful to everyone who supported this campaign and our entire team,” he wrote in a statement, sharing a video announcement.
Hickenlooper did not yet announce that he’s running for Senate, a possibility he’s still considering.
“People want to know what comes next for me. I’ve met so many Coloradoans that want me to run for Senate,” he said in the video. “I intend to give that some serious thought.”
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) is up for re-election in 2020.
Hickenlooper has said previously that top Democrats want him to run for the seat but said there are already good candidates who are running in the primary to face Gardner.
Hickenlooper left the governor’s office in January with approval ratings of around 70 percent and polls indicate he'd be the frontrunner if he ran for Senate.
Another said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) met with Hickenlooper earlier in August.
“Schumer made the point that if the governor were to run for the Senate, he would be a total hero. ... The governor could be the firewall between Mitch McConnell remaining as Senate majority leader and the Democrats taking back the Senate,” the source said.
“I’m running for president because we’re facing a crisis that threatens everything we stand for,” Hickenlooper said. “I’ve stood up to my fair share of bullies. Standing tall when it really matters is one of the things that really drives me.”
Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel became the second in early August, endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Nine candidates have already qualified: businessman Andrew Yang, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).