Former Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado on Monday announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential nomination in a two-minute video titled "Stand Tall," which charted the Democrat's life and career.
"We need dreamers in Washington, but we also need to get things done," Hickenlooper, 67, proclaimed in the video.
"I've proven again and again I can bring people together to produce the progressive change Washington has failed to deliver," he continued. "Join me and we'll repair the damage done to our country and be stronger than ever."
"Standing tall when it matters is one of the things that really drives me," Hickenlooper said.
As videos of Trump played, Hickenlooper said he is making a bid for the White House "because we're facing a crisis that threatens everything we stand for.
"As a skinny kid with coke-bottle glasses and a funny last name, I've stood up to my fair share of bullies," he said.
Hickenlooper was born in Pennsylvania but found his way to Colorado through his work as a geologist. A downturn in the industry saw him lose his job in the 1980s, after which he was inspired to open a brew pub—Wynkoop Brewing Company—in Denver in 1988. The company became hugely successful, allowing him to build a business empire and become Denver's mayor, an office he held from 2003 to 2011. He then served for two terms as Colorado governor before leaving the post in January.
CNN reported that Hickenlooper planned to kick off his campaign for the Democratic nomination with a Monday morning appearance on ABC's Good Morning America. His first event will be a rally in Denver on Thursday, after which he will travel to Iowa on the weekend.
Hickenlooper has been touted as a potential candidate for several months. In his announcement video, the former governor noted some of the toughest challenges he faced during his time in office. These included record-breaking droughts, wildfires and floods, as well as the mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater in 2012.
Hickenlooper also listed his successes, which included sustained economic growth, an expansion of Medicaid, new methane gas regulations and tigher gun control laws—specifically introducing universal background checks and banning high-capacity magazines.
His announcement follows that of Governor Jay Inslee of Washington last week. The current Democratic presidential field now stands at 14 candidates, six of them senators.
