DENVER — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet officially announced he would run for governor Friday morning.
"Right now, we face significant challenges. Too many Coloradans struggle to afford to live here; our state’s budget is in crisis; and, President Trump has waged an all-out assault on our values and economy,” Sen. Bennet said in his campaign announcement. “I’m running for governor to build a brighter future in Colorado and give people a chance at a better life."
Current Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' term limit is up next year, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has already announced his run for the governor's office.
“While Senator Bennet has been in Washington, I have served Colorado as the People’s Lawyer, working directly with people in every county of every background to solve difficult challenges," Weiser said Thursday in response to Bennet's expected candidacy. "That’s just what a governor does. I am prepared for this job and will continue to build a better future for us all.
BREAKING: Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet @MichaelBennet announces run for governor. #copolitics @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/0WlvvDbjdZ
— Brandon Richard (@BrandonLRichard) April 11, 2025
Former U.S. Senator Ken Salazar for Colorado released the following statement on both candidates now running for the Colorado governor's office:
"Colorado is fortunate to have strong leaders stepping forward in the race for Governor, including Senator Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser—both dedicated public servants who have made significant contributions to our state.
Senator Bennet, my successor to the seat we won for the U.S. Senate in 2004, has done a great job—standing up to Donald Trump, fighting for rural Colorado, leading on climate and renewable energy, and championing the values that define our state.
Attorney General Weiser, my successor in the AG’s office, a seat we first won back in 1998 and again in 2002, has also been a steadfast advocate for rural Colorado and a fierce defender of the rule of law in the face of Trump’s attempts to dismantle it."
Bennet is scheduled to make a public appearance Friday with family and supporters at 10 a.m. in Denver’s City Park as the launch of his campaign.
Several Colorado elected officials are endorsing Sen. Bennet's campaign for governor, including U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02), Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, former State Representative Wilma Webb, former Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Colorado Senate President James Coleman and Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Julie McCluskie.
Bennet's gubernatorial run had been rumored in Colorado political circles for months.
Bennet has served in the U.S. Senate since 2009. He is currently a member of Senate Committees on Finance, Intelligence, Rules, and Agriculture, Nutrition and fForestry. Prior to being elected to the U.S. Senate, he was the superintendent of Denver Public Schools. Bennet was also rumored to be in line for a position in former Vice President Kamala Harris’s administration had she won the November election.
He does not have to step down from his Senate seat while he runs for governor. He will remain in his position through the election in 2026 and will resign if elected to Colorado's governor.
- You can watch Bennet's announcement in the video player below.
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