Hickenlooper endorses Biden for president

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) endorsed Joe Biden’s White House bid, becoming the latest former presidential contender to back his campaign.

Hickenlooper, who dropped out of the White House race last year and is now running for the Senate, specifically cited Biden’s plan to help boost small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our small businesses, workers, and families are hurting. Joe Biden is the leader we need to fight for them, and that’s why I’m supporting his campaign,” Hickenlooper said in a statement circulated by Biden’s campaign.

Biden’s plan would, among other things, establish a fund of $60 billion for smaller lenders and community-based financial institutions and provide assurances that the money can’t go to larger firms.

The former vice president has garnered widespread support across the Democratic Party since early April, when his lone primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), suspended his campaign.

He has since racked up endorsements from a number of his former presidential opponents, including Sanders and Sens. Elisabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

Hickenlooper is running in one of the most closely-watched Senate races in Colorado, where he is running to unseat Sen. Cory Gardner (R), who is widely seen as vulnerable in a state Hillary Clinton won in 2016.