Hickenlooper for president? Not yet, he says.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper was honored with OIA's "Friend of the Outdoor Industry" award.
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Washington, D.C. — After accepting an award from Outdoor Industry Association on Tuesday night, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper dropped a few hints to a political publication about a potential presidential run.
On the first day of Capitol Summit, OIA awarded Hickenlooper with the “Friend of the Outdoor Industry” award for his continued support of outdoor recreation and for organizing the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office in 2015.
Hickenlooper told Colorado Politics, “At some time I want to sit down and spend some time to think about it.”
But, also according to Colorado Politics, he said it was too soon for his decision.“Not yet. I got to focus on the stuff we’re doing now.” He added, “Maybe this summer.”
Hickenlooper’s second and final term as governor is coming to an end, and some have speculated that he’s eyeing a seat in the White House. But Hickenlooper has previously denied that he run as a Democratic contender in the 2020 election.
“I would love to see Hickelooper in the White House, but most importantly I want to see a Democrat on the ticket who can win,” said Layne Rigney, president of Osprey, a Coloradan, and board member of OIA.
Reports from OIA show that outdoor recreation—mainly skiing, camping, and hiking— generates $28 billion for Colorado and about 229,000 jobs. The association’s latest report breaks down those numbers by congressional districts.
