Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, who is running for governor in the state’s Democratic primary, offered only a broad outline when asked who he would choose to fill his Senate seat if he wins — someone Democratic and younger than 50 years old.
That narrow description leaves a pool of hundreds of thousands of potential candidates across the state. Bennet declined to name specific individuals, keeping his options wide open ahead of the June 30 primary.
Primary Landscape
Bennet faces Phil Weiser, Colorado’s current Attorney General, as his main primary opponent. If Bennet wins and goes on to win the governorship in November, he would appoint his own Senate successor — a decision that could shape Colorado’s representation in Washington for years.
Colorado has become reliably Democratic at the statewide level. Republicans have not won a statewide race there since 2016, and the party’s gubernatorial candidate lost by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, underscoring how far the political landscape has shifted in the state.
What’s Next
With the primary just days away on June 30, both Bennet and Weiser are making final pushes to Democratic voters. If Bennet advances and ultimately wins the governorship, the Senate appointment question will move to the forefront. For now, Colorado Democrats are focused on which candidate heads the ticket — and what direction the party takes heading into the general election.
Colorado’s political trajectory and its growing population of younger voters may factor into any future Senate appointment. Bennet’s stated preference for a younger successor signals at least some thinking about long-term party positioning in a state that has trended steadily blue over the past decade.