DENVER – Both Sen. Cory Gardner and former Gov. John Hickenlooper tested negative for COVID-19 ahead of their first debate of the election season Friday evening in Pueblo.
Both campaigns agreed to have the candidates tested out of an abundance of caution after President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, all tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours. The president was transported Friday afternoon to Walter Reed Hospital after his diagnosis, the White House said. He was treated earlier in the day with an antibody cocktail.
Both Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence and their spouses have tested negative.
Gardner met with Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett earlier this week on the same day that Lee did.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a statement earlier in the day Friday calling for contact tracing, testing and possible isolation of anyone who came in contact with Barrett, the Trumps or others at the White House this week.
Both Gardner and Hickenlooper were tested Friday and their results had come back negative by Friday afternoon.
Friday’s debate, hosted by the Pueblo Chieftain, begins at 7 p.m. and can be streamed live here.
The two candidates will debate next Friday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in a debate hosted by Denver7, The Denver Post, and CPR News.