March 16, 2020 01:41 PM UTC

Hickenlooper Makes Ballot, Exits Assembly

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: According to the Hickenlooper campaign, they collected a total of 14,925 valid signatures for a validity rate of 86%. Here’s how that breaks down by congressional district (1,500 is required):

♦ Congressional District 1: 2,220

♦ Congressional District 2: 2,199

♦ Congressional District 3: 2,206

♦ Congressional District 4: 2,054

♦ Congressional District 5: 2,210

♦ Congressional District 6: 1,979

♦ Congressional District 7: 2,057

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Ernest Luning of the Colorado Springs Gazette reports, former Gov. John Hickenlooper has qualified for the ballot by submitting the required number of valid petition signatures in record time–and will withdraw from the now-imperiled assembly process:

Since he’s already qualified for the ballot, Hickenlooper told Colorado Politics he plans to withdraw from the assembly process, which has been upended in recent days as the state scrambles to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

“Today we received word that, thanks to the tremendous work of our team and grassroots volunteers, we have qualified for the U.S. Senate ballot,” Hickenlooper said in statement.

“Because we have already earned a place on the ballot and ongoing public health and safety concerns, we will be withdrawing from the assembly process at this time. This will allow us to direct our resources towards building a campaign ready to win the nomination in June and defeat Senator Gardner in November.”

This year’s non-presidential precinct caucuses were very poorly attended, and at this point it’s unknown exactly how the assembly process is going to proceed during the ongoing public health emergency. There’s little question the present complicating factors are disruptive to every candidate and every campaign–but candidates who are better organized are still going to have the advantage.