Polling Average
50%40%30%20%10%0%
45%
13%
Democrat
Incumbent
IncumbentJohn Hickenlooper
Colorado Democratic Senate nominee?
$21.2K
JUL 1, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Senator
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age74 years old (Feb 7, 1952)
GenderMale
Show moreShow less
LocationColorado
BackgroundPolitician
EducationWesleyan University (BA, English)
Notable personal detailsJohn Wright Hickenlooper Jr. is an American politician, geologist, and business owner who has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2021. He previously served as Mayor of Denver (2003–2011) and as Governor of Colorado (2011–2019). Before elected office, he worked as a geologist and later co-founded Colorado’s first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Company.
SourcesShowHide
hickenlooper.senate.govcongress.govbritannica.comhickenlooper.comcpr.orgen.wikipedia.orgyahoo.comaol.comcbsnews.compostindependent.comyourtango.comfec.govdocquery.fec.govaxios.comwashingtonpost.comstatic.politico.comlegal.x.comsenate.govvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgcba.ballotpedia.orgjustfacts.votesmart.org
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports targeted tax relief for working- and middle-class families while advocating stronger enforcement and tax fairness for large corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Opposes broad regressive proposals like a national sales tax and backs using IRS resources and laws to ensure high-income individuals and big corporations pay their fair share.
Healthcare
Supports strengthening and protecting the Affordable Care Act, expanding coverage through a public option, lowering prescription drug costs, and increasing access to reproductive health care; opposes single-payer/Medicare-for-All.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and other undocumented immigrants, restoration of DACA, expanded legal work pathways (including H‑2B/guest worker reforms), and more federal support for cities receiving migrants while also saying the border should be responsibly managed and secured.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports protecting and expanding access to abortion, including codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law and defending access to medication abortion. Advocates legal protections for providers and opposes efforts to ban or severely restrict abortion.
Climate & Energy
Supports strong federal and state action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advances clean energy investment and technology, and has backed methane regulations for the oil and gas sector while supporting transitional measures. Has supported and helped implement federal programs (e.g., Inflation Reduction Act funding) to accelerate decarbonization and clean energy deployment in Colorado.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports universal/background check expansion, red flag laws, bans on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, and funding community-based violence intervention; has championed and signed state-level gun safety laws and co-sponsored federal background-check legislation in the Senate.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMay 19, 2026
John Hickenlooper is in the news because he has qualified for Colorado’s June 30 Democratic Senate primary and will face a challenge from state Sen. Julie Gonzales. He also reported strong fundraising, bringing in nearly $1.4 million and ending March with about $4 million cash on hand. Separately, he has been opposing a Trump nominee for the Bureau of Land Management over concerns about public lands.
hickenlooper.senate.gov+21
Articles
TDThe Denver Post1 month ago
Gabe Evans builds war chest as Democrats raise money for primaries
Positive
TDThe Denver Post1 month ago
Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer qualifies for GOP primary for Colorado governor
Neutral
KKRDO2 months ago
John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet qualify for State Primary Ballot
Positive
TAThe Aspen Times3 months ago
Trump nominee to lead BLM dodges Colorado senator’s question on whether he supports public land sales
Neutral
Polls
Colorado Democratic Senate nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$6.8M
$5.1M
$3.4M
$1.7M
$0
2022
2024
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2022
$1.0M
$1.2M
$1.4M
$59.1K
Cycle 2024
$1.2M
$1.4M
$954.7K
$39.8K
Cycle 2026
$6.8M
$4.0M
$4.2M
$281.2K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements