Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has been sounding out others about a possible presidential candidacy, including Gary Hart and Tom Vilsack. | David Zalubowski/AP Photo Hickenlooper moves closer to 2020 presidential bid

SAN FRANCISCO — Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is edging closer to a potential run for president, following what he called an “encouraging” summer mulling a campaign.

“What I saw was an interest … a genuine interest in terms of what we’ve done in Colorado,” Hickenlooper told POLITICO on Wednesday.


Hickenlooper, one of several current and former Democratic governors considering running in 2020, said he has not yet made a decision about the race. But in a sign that his political operation is ramping up, he will travel to the Southeast this month to help the campaigns of Democratic gubernatorial candidates Andrew Gillum in Florida and Stacey Abrams in Georgia.

If he runs, Hickenlooper, a former pub owner and Denver mayor, would start with a relatively low profile. But many other prospective candidates — especially from outside Washington — will face a similar challenge, and Hickenlooper suggested it is not insurmountable.

“The one thing that did surprise me in places where I didn’t have a presence, hadn’t really been politically active — there was a lot of awareness of some of the things we’ve done in Colorado,” Hickenlooper said in an interview on the sidelines of a climate summit here. “I think that was encouraging. It’s been encouraging throughout the summer.”

As he considers a run, Hickenlooper said he has sought advice from a range of political minds, including two former presidential candidates, former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack. He said he has also taken the temperature of residents in his home state.

“The response in Colorado has been generally not snarky and, ‘Who do you think you are?’ but really, ‘Thank you for all the hard work and, you know, I hope you go for it.’”

Of his own thinking about 2020, Hickenlooper said he is still considering it.

He said, “I’ve still got a list of 16 people, I think, that I am eager to hear their sentiments and their advice.”

