Hickenlooper Projected to Keep Colorado Senate Seat

Democrat John Hickenlooper was projected to win reelection over Republican Mark Baisley and Forward Party Independent Bob Chew.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a domed state capitol silhouette in navy and cream above a horizon with distant mountains. — Democrat John Hickenlooper was projected on Tuesday to win reelection to Colorado's U.S. Senate seat, defeating Republican Mark Baisley and Forward Party candidate Bob Chew. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Incumbent Democrat John Hickenlooper was projected as the winner of Colorado's U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Mark Baisley and Forward Party Independent Bob Chew. He also defeated several minor party and write-in candidates.

Why it matters

The projection keeps Hickenlooper in the Senate seat he won in 2020 and sustains Democratic representation for Colorado in the chamber. His win follows a Democratic primary victory earlier this year and reflects the outcome of the statewide contest.

Hickenlooper was projected as the winner before the full vote count was reported, while Baisley, a Colorado state senator for the 4th Senate District, and Chew, a Forward Party Independent, were his main challengers. Final vote totals and official margins remain to be certified.

The players

John Hickenlooper

A Democrat and former Denver mayor and Colorado governor, Hickenlooper is a former geologist who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2020.

Mark Baisley

A Republican and Colorado state senator representing the 4th Senate District, Baisley is an aerospace engineer who previously served in the Colorado House.

The details

Hickenlooper, a former Denver mayor, Colorado governor and geologist, was projected as the winner on Tuesday over Baisley, an aerospace engineer, and Chew. The race also included several other minor party and write-in candidates, and Hickenlooper had previously secured the Democratic primary earlier this year.

2020: Hickenlooper was first elected to the U.S. Senate.
Earlier this year: Hickenlooper won the Democratic primary.
Tuesday: Hickenlooper was projected as the Senate race winner.
Before the end of his next term: Hickenlooper will turn 80.

Political Context

Hickenlooper's projected reelection extends the Senate term he began after his 2020 election, when he was one of 12 former governors serving in the chamber. Colorado's Senate outcome follows the pattern of incumbents defending seats in statewide races across the country.

Colorado voters can track the official certified results for the Senate race as final counts are completed. The outcome determines who represents the state in the U.S. Senate for the next term.

The takeaway

Projected results can shift as final ballots are counted, so readers should rely on certified totals for the official outcome. Following certification is the most reliable way to confirm the race.