John Hickenlooper Bio
John Wright Hickenlooper Jr., born on February 7, 1952, in Narberth, Pennsylvania, is an American politician, geologist, and businessman. A Democrat, he has served as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. Hickenlooper previously served as the 43rd mayor of Denver from 2003 to 2011 and as the 42nd governor of Colorado from 2011 to 2019, making him one of the few politicians to hold both positions in the same state.
Before entering politics, Hickenlooper earned a bachelor’s degree in English and later a master’s degree in geology from Wesleyan University. He worked as a petroleum geologist before co-founding the Wynkoop Brewing Company, one of the first brewpubs in the United States. Known for a pragmatic, pro-business centrist approach, he briefly sought the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before winning a U.S. Senate seat by defeating incumbent Republican Cory Gardner.
Early Life and Background
John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. was born in Narberth, Pennsylvania, a Main Line suburb of Philadelphia, to John Wright Hickenlooper and Anne Doughten Morris Kennedy. His father died when he was young, and he was raised primarily by his mother. His mother practiced the Quaker faith, and Hickenlooper has spoken about the influence of Quaker values on his approach to governance, though he has clarified that he is not a Quaker himself.
He is a descendant of notable public figures, including Civil War Union General Andrew Hickenlooper and federal judge Smith Hickenlooper. A cousin, Bourke B. Hickenlooper, served as governor of Iowa and later as a U.S. senator from Iowa. Another cousin, George Hickenlooper, was an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker. Writer Kurt Vonnegut was a friend of Hickenlooper’s father and once offered him guiding advice: “Be very careful who you pretend to be, because that’s who you’re going to be.”
Hickenlooper graduated from The Haverford School, an independent boys school in Pennsylvania, in 1970. He then attended Wesleyan University, where he earned a B.A. in English in 1974 and later completed a master’s degree in geology in 1980.
Path to US Politics
After completing his master’s degree, Hickenlooper worked as a geologist in Colorado for Buckhorn Petroleum in the early 1980s. When the company was sold, he was laid off in 1986. Looking for a new direction, he and five business partners opened the Wynkoop Brewing Company in October 1988, one of the nation’s first brewpubs. The venture helped revitalize Denver’s Lower Downtown neighborhood and established Hickenlooper’s reputation as a creative entrepreneur and community builder.
His success in the business world and his involvement in local civic causes led him to consider public service. In 2003, he ran for mayor of Denver, campaigning on his business experience. He developed a series of television ads, including one in which he walked the streets to “feed” parking meters in response to a parking-rate increase, a move that helped separate him from the crowded field. He won the election and took office as Denver’s 43rd mayor in July 2003.
John Hickenlooper Career
Early Career (2003–2011)
Upon taking office, Hickenlooper inherited a $70 million budget deficit, the worst in the city’s history, which he eliminated during his first term without major service cuts or layoffs. He won bipartisan support for a multibillion-dollar mass transit project funded by a voter-approved sales tax increase. In 2003, he announced a ten-year plan to end homelessness in Denver, a program that inspired more than 280 U.S. cities to launch similar initiatives.
Hickenlooper also established the Denver Scholarship Foundation, which provides needs-based college scholarships to local high school graduates. In 2005, TIME named him one of America’s five best big-city mayors. He was reelected in 2007 with 88 percent of the vote and resigned as mayor shortly before being inaugurated as governor of Colorado.
Governorship of Colorado (2011–2019)
After Governor Bill Ritter announced he would not seek reelection, Hickenlooper launched a campaign for governor in January 2010. He won the Democratic primary unopposed and then won the general election with 51 percent of the vote, defeating Constitution Party nominee Tom Tancredo and Republican Dan Maes. He was sworn in as the 42nd Governor of Colorado on January 11, 2011.
As governor, Hickenlooper expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, helping to cut Colorado’s uninsured rate from 14.3 percent in 2013 to 6.5 percent by 2017. Following the 2012 Aurora, Colorado, mass shooting, he signed legislation requiring universal background checks on all gun transfers and banning high-capacity magazines. He also implemented the state’s methane-capture regulations for oil and gas companies, the first such rules in the nation. In 2014, he was reelected with 49 percent of the vote, narrowly defeating Republican former congressman Bob Beauprez.
U.S. Senator (2021–Present)
After briefly campaigning for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and ending his bid in August 2019, Hickenlooper announced a run for the U.S. Senate. He won the Democratic primary, defeating former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and went on to defeat one-term Republican incumbent Cory Gardner by nine percentage points in the general election. At 68, he became the oldest first-term senator to represent Colorado.
Since taking office in January 2021, Hickenlooper has served on several Senate committees and introduced legislation on a range of issues, including energy infrastructure and animal welfare. In September 2023, he introduced the BIG WIRES Act to coordinate electrical transmission line construction, and in April 2025, he co-sponsored the Fix Our Forests Act to improve forest management and reduce wildfire risk. He was also a co-sponsor of the Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 and was named a legislative leader by the Humane World Action Fund.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Hickenlooper’s most defining moments was granting a reprieve to Nathan Dunlap in 2013, a decision that highlighted his evolving views on capital punishment. In his 2016 memoir, he publicly came out against the death penalty, citing research showing bias against minorities and people with mental illnesses. His pragmatic response to the 2012 Aurora shooting, including the signing of major gun-safety legislation, marked a significant policy moment in Colorado history.
John Hickenlooper Career Wins
John Hickenlooper’s political career includes a series of decisive victories at the local, state, and federal levels. From his first mayoral win in Denver to his successful U.S. Senate campaign, he has consistently appealed to a broad coalition of voters, including independents and moderate Republicans.
Denver Mayoral Wins
Hickenlooper first won the Denver mayoral race in 2003, defeating a crowded field with a campaign built on business experience and creative messaging. He was reelected in May 2007 with 88 percent of the vote, a rare show of bipartisan support. His tenure is widely remembered for stabilizing the city’s finances and launching major infrastructure projects.
Colorado Gubernatorial Wins
In 2010, Hickenlooper won the governorship with 51 percent of the vote, an unusually large margin during a year when Republicans flipped twelve governorships nationwide. He secured a second term in 2014 with 49 percent of the vote, narrowly defeating former congressman Bob Beauprez in a tight contest.
U.S. Senate Win
In 2020, Hickenlooper defeated Republican incumbent Cory Gardner by approximately 9 points, flipping the seat for the Democrats. The victory was his first federal win and established him as a leading voice on energy, healthcare, and bipartisan compromise in the U.S. Senate.
John Hickenlooper Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Hickenlooper is of partial Dutch descent, and his mother’s family practiced the Quaker faith. His great-grandfather Andrew Hickenlooper served as a Union general during the Civil War, and his grandfather Smith Hickenlooper was a United States federal judge. A cousin, Bourke B. Hickenlooper, served as both governor of Iowa and a U.S. senator from Iowa, establishing a family tradition of public service that has continued for generations.
Personal Life
Hickenlooper was previously married to writer Helen Thorpe from 2002 until their divorce in 2012. Together, they have a son, Teddy. In 2016, he married Robin Pringle, and in December 2022, the couple welcomed a baby boy via surrogate. Hickenlooper is also an avid squash player who continues to compete as a ranked player in national tournaments.