Hickenlooper takes step toward possible run
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Monday put out one of the strongest signals yet that he’s strongly considering a run in 2020 against President Donald Trump.
The twoterm Democrat, who will leave office early next year, filed paperwork to form a federal political action committee that’s known as a leadership PAC — a common step by presidential aspirants that allows them to raise money on the federal level, tapping it to donate to candidates or pay political and policy staffers. Such PACs, which have contribution limits of $5,000 a year from individual donors and other PACs, also can be used to pay for travel.
“Leadership PACs are designed for two things: to make money and to make friends, both of which are crucial to ambitious politicians looking to advance their careers,” according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics’ OpenSecrets.org website.
Leave no doubt that Hickenlooper has put his stamp on the effort: It’s called the Giddy Up PAC, drawing on a phrase he uses often. He ended his 2018 State of the State address with those words.
So where does Hickenlooper stand on the question of running for president? Of ficially, he’s undecided.
But he has dipped his toe into the water repeatedly, especially in the last year, with visits to Iowa and New Hampshire, home of the first two presidential nominating contests. He’s also consulted with veteran political players inside and outside Colorado.
Last week, while in San Francisco for a climate sum