U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is “very, very seriously” considering a run for Colorado governor in 2026, according to two senior aides, as he contemplates how to most effectively push back against the Trump administration.
The aides spoke Friday to The Colorado Sun on the condition of anonymity to relay personal conversations they’ve had with Bennet. The staffers said Bennet has been making phone calls to Colorado political and civic leaders as he mulls his decision.
Bennet, 60, was appointed to the Senate in 2009 by then-Gov. Bill Ritter to replace Ken Salazar, who had been named interior secretary. Bennet was reelected in 2010, 2016 and 2022.
He’s not up for reelection until 2028, meaning if he doesn’t resign from his Senate seat, he could return to Washington, D.C., if his gubernatorial bid fails.
If Bennet decides to resign from the Senate as he campaigns for governor, current Gov. Jared Polis would appoint a replacement who would serve at least until the next general election in 2026.
Bennet ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020, dropping out of the Democratic party race after the New Hampshire primary.
If Bennet jumps into Colorado’s gubernatorial race, it would represent a massive shakeup.
Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, is already running. Other Democrats are eyeing a bid to become Colorado’s top executive, including U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Salazar, who most recently was the U.S. ambassador to Mexico.
Polis is term limited and cannot run for reelection in 2026.