20 Democrats who are likely to run in 2020

10. John Hickenlooper

To be honest, John Hickenlooper has already said that he won’t be running for office. Yet, the current governor of Colorado will be out of the role in January, given that the position faces a two-term limit. With some goodwill and a lot of free time, could Hickenlooper go back on his word?

It’s not unheard of. Without getting too glib about it, politicians are generally well versed in walking back statements and reversing positions. So, a Hickenlooper candidacy isn’t entirely out of the question.

Why would people be interested in Hickenlooper’s potential bid for the White House? He was reportedly on the vice-presidential shortlist for candidate Hillary Clinton’s run in 2016. He’s established himself as a reliable Democrat who can work with Republicans. Colorado, though it’s becoming more and more blue as people move to urban centers like Denver, is still a very purple state. Many residents living outside of the population corridor in front of the Rocky Mountains are still generally friendly to Republicans. That sort of across-the-aisle diplomacy could be a major asset.

And while Hickenlooper has been busy saying that he’s got plenty of other things to do, he was similarly reticent when it came to the VP gig. However, it turns out that he definitely wanted the role and likely would have taken it if offered, despite public statements leaning otherwise.

Overall, John Hickenlooper has established a sort of open-minded approach to his political career. If chances align and the path to higher political office starts to look good, then this Democratic former governor might make his move despite his own earlier protests.