Former Governor Hickenlooper Expected to Announce 2020 Presidential Bid

The Colorado Sun reported yesterday that former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper is expected to announce his candidacy for president in the 2020 election.

“The former Colorado governor received a permit to hold an event March 7 in the amphitheater at Civic Center park,” the Sun said. Official announcements are expected to follow. The event, described as a “celebration,” comes after much speculation surrounding a potential 2020 bid.

Hickenlooper, who was mayor of Denver before he was elected governor in 2011, is currently a smaller voice on the national stage. He is expected to run in the Democratic primaries as a “moderate pragmatist in a race filled with partisan noise.”

As governor, Hickenlooper was a strong ally for LGBTQ rights. He signed the Colorado Civil Union Act in 2013, making Colorado the 18th state to recognize same-gender unions, two years before Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-gender marriage nationwide. OUT FRONT covered when One Colorado honored Hickenlooper with the Ally Award last August.

“Most recently, he also vowed to protect transgender rights, a topic many politicians, even those who claim to support the LGBTQ community, shy away from. During Transgender Awareness Week, he referenced the 2008 law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and reflected on how far the community has come,” wrote Addison Herron-Wheeler for OUT FRONT.

The Democratic primaries are expected to begin later this year.

Photo courtesy of John Hickenlooper on Facebook