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Sen. Michael Bennet Launches Run For Colorado Governor

WASHINGTON ― Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) on Friday announced his candidacy for the Colorado governorship next year, becoming the latest Democrat with plans to leave the Senate.

“I’m running for governor to build a brighter future in Colorado and give people a chance at a better life,” he said in a statement. “The best solutions to our challenges will not come from Washington’s broken politics. They will come from us.”

Bennet, 60, has served in the Senate since 2009, when he was appointed to replace former Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.). A progressive Democrat, he’s been a longtime advocate of expanding the child tax credit. He also mounted a short-lived campaign for president in 2020.

In recent years, Bennet has grown increasingly frustrated with the direction of his party. He was the first Senate Democrat to go public with his concerns about President Joe Biden’s age and physical ability. He also came close to calling for new leadership in the Senate Democratic caucus after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) decided not to block a government funding bill.

“It’s important for people to know when it’s time to go,” Bennet said at a town hall last month.

The Centennial State has not elected a Republican governor since 2002, so Bennet’s chances of replacing Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), who is term-limited, are pretty good.

Still, Bennet is joining a growing list of Senate Democrats heading for the exits, including Gary Peters of Michigan, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.

Potential members of the House Democratic delegation who could run to replace Bennet in the Senate include Rep. Jason Crow, a veteran, and Joe Neguse, an impeachment manager of President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.