John Hickenlooper announces Senate run in Colorado

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper announced on Thursday that he will run for Senate in his home state — one week after becoming the first big name to drop out of the massive 2020 Democratic presidential field.

Why it matters: Many on the left, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have been pushing Hickenlooper to run against incumbent Republican Sen. Cory Gardner — even before the former governor launched his long-shot presidential run. Gardner is considered one of the most vulnerable Republican senators in the country as Democrats look to make inroads in the Senate in 2020, per AP.

Go deeper: John Hickenlooper drops out of 2020 race