Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper ended his campaign for the Democratic nomination for President Thursday morning.
Hickenlooper announced the run in March, and now just over 5 months later, he read in a videotaped statement that the journey has been rewarding, but he "did imagine a very different conclusion."
The former two-term Colorado governor, who ran as a moderate warning of the perils of extreme partisanship, struggled with fundraising and low polling numbers. His planned departure from the 2020 race was confirmed Wednesday night by a Democrat who wasn't authorized to speak publicly before the announcement and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
Hickenlooper said he is proud of the campaign they ran, and is debating on whether to challenge Republican Sen. Cory Gardner for the Senate seat.
"People want to know what comes next for me," he said. "They remind me how much is at stake for our country and our state. I intend to give it that some serious thought."
But if Hickenlooper did run against Gardner, he'd first have to get through another crowded Democratic primary field. Numerous Colorado Democrats have launched primary bids for Gardner's seat, and many have indicated they'd stay in the race, even if Hickenlooper enters the contest.
Hickenlooper isn't the first Democratic hopeful to end his 2020 presidential bid. U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced his departure in July.