John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. is an American politician, geologist, and businessman serving as Colorado’s junior United States senator since 2021. A Democrat, he previously served as mayor of Denver (2003–2011) and as the 42nd governor of Colorado (2011–2019).
Born in Narberth, Pennsylvania, Hickenlooper studied at Wesleyan University and worked as a petroleum geologist before entering the business world. In 1988 he co-founded Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Company, one of the early U.S. brewpubs.
As governor, he expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, signed major gun safety measures after the Aurora shooting (including universal background checks and limits on high-capacity magazines), and pursued a climate/energy approach that paired methane rules with continued support for Colorado’s oil and gas industry. In the Senate, he has continued to pitch himself as a coalition-builder focused on infrastructure, innovation, climate transition tied to jobs, and incremental health-care expansion.
Hickenlooper is often described as a pro-business, pragmatic Democrat. Progressives sometimes argue he is too industry-friendly (especially on drilling/fracking), while Republicans still frame him as a reliable liberal vote in a closely watched Western battleground state.
Moderate Democrat
Committee Assignments
Caucus Memberships
Achievements
- Expanded Medicaid coverage in Colorado as governor, sharply reducing the uninsured rate statewide.
- Signed universal background checks and limits on high-capacity magazines after the Aurora shooting, reshaping Colorado gun law.
- Promoted renewable energy and clean-tech investment while positioning Colorado as a hub for “new economy” jobs.
- Advanced major transit, infrastructure, and broadband priorities in Denver and statewide coalitions.
- Continued Senate work on energy permitting, innovation, and interregional grid transmission to support decarbonization.
Controversies
- Criticized from the left for being comparatively friendly to oil & gas and for defending regulated fracking as governor.
- Faced ethics scrutiny tied to travel and gift rules stemming from his tenure as governor (including private-jet-related reporting and fines).
- Repeated STOCK Act late-disclosure reporting drew press attention during his Senate tenure.
- Some business groups argue methane and clean-energy rules moved too aggressively; environmental groups argue they were not fast enough.
- “Pragmatist” branding has sometimes been attacked by both sides as insufficiently bold or too incremental.
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Inc | $242,759 | $242,759 | $0 |
| JStreetPAC | $159,907 | $159,822 | $85 |
| University of Colorado | $132,824 | $132,824 | $0 |
| Microsoft Corp | $106,796 | $106,796 | $0 |
| Apple Inc | $70,860 | $70,860 | $0 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Recent Elections
2010 Margin D +15.0%
2014 Margin D +3.3%
2020 Margin D +9.3%