Senator Michael Bennet Declares Candidacy for Governor of Colorado
The current governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, is limited by term restrictions.
On April 11, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) declared his candidacy for the governor’s position in Colorado.
Bennet shared in the video that his mother, Susanne, survived the Holocaust, while his father, Douglas, held diplomatic positions during the Carter and Clinton administrations.
“They instilled in me the belief that we all bear a responsibility to one another and to the next generation. This is the same message Susan and I have endeavored to convey to our daughters,” he mentioned, referencing his wife.
Bennet highlighted his Senate experience on initiatives such as protecting public lands, enhancing the child tax credit, and curbing prescription drug prices.
The senator expressed concerns over the rising costs of housing, groceries, child care, and health care within Colorado.
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“The best solutions to these challenges will not emerge from the stagnant politics of Washington,” he remarked. “They will arise from our community. That’s the reason I’m seeking the governorship.”
Bennet has served in the Senate since 2009 and was formerly the superintendent of Denver Public Schools. Between 2013 and 2015, he chaired the Senate Democrats’ primary fundraising and campaign committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 2020, he ran unsuccessfully to secure the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
As Jared Polis is term-limited, a victory for Bennet—whose Senate term concludes on January 3, 2029—would lead to an empty Senate seat that Polis would need to fill.
“No one in the Senate is more concerned about Trump’s impact on our democracy and economy than I am,” he stated. “I believe the best place to confront those issues is from the state of Colorado.”
Bennet is up against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in the primary and began his gubernatorial campaign in January.
“While Senator Bennet has been in Washington, I have been serving Colorado as the People’s Lawyer, directly assisting residents from every county and background in addressing tough challenges. That is precisely what a governor does. I am ready for this role and will continue to strive for a better future for everyone,” Weiser asserted in a statement on April 10.
“Two years ago, voters sent Senator Bennet back to DC because they believed he would advocate for us during critical times—especially in the historically perilous situation we currently face. Now, more than ever, we require experienced Democratic leaders in Washington.”
Several Republicans are also in the race, including state Sen. Mark Baisley and state Rep. Scott Bottoms.