Colorado Republican Dave McCormick has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Cory Gardner, who is considered one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election in 2020.
McCormick, a former Trump administration official who served in the positions of Undersecretary for Agriculture and Chief of Staff of the Office of Management and Budget, is the second Republican to enter the race to challenge Gardner, who has shown strong support for the president.
McCormick was an early backer of President Donald Trump in 2016 and briefly worked on the Trump campaign. He served in the administration for two years and briefly considered running for the Colorado governorship before being tapped to fill a seat in the House of Representatives when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stepped down.
McCormick is hoping to capitalize on his military and government experience to win over voters in a state that is increasingly becoming more progressive and increasingly more diverse. He is also hoping to turn out voters by highlighting issues such as immigration, gun rights, and health care.
Additionally, McCormick has made clear he will focus on Gardner’s ties to special interests and what he sees as an inability to address the mounting issues confronting Coloradans.
McCormick will face off against at least one Republican in the primary, Darryl Glenn, as well as three Democratic candidates. With Colorado’s competitive swing state status, the election outcome could significantly impact the balance of power in the upper chamber of congress.
