RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet pulls his suitcase to his car, before heading back to the hotel for the night, after speaking to college democrats at Dartmouth University on Feb. 10, 2020 in Hanover, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostU.S. Senator Michael Bennet, who dropped his bid for the White House on Tuesday, heads out on a final quest for votes during the New Hampshire Democratic primary earlier this week. At a crossroads, Bennet has said he plans to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2022.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet has his name marked on a spot where he ate at The Red Arrow Diner on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostCalley Milne walked to a polling location at Webster School to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet starts off his day with a stop at a polling place at Webster School on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostAfter eating pie with his family Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet gets a cooking lesson from Anaval Pasquell, a cook at The Red Arrow Diner, on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet eats lunch and meets voters at Bridge Cafe on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet cheers on supporter at a polling place at Webster School on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet starts off his day with a stop at a polling place at Webster School on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostBrian Peters, with the Michael Bennetap presidential candidate campaign, picks up signs outside the hall where Bennet spoke to college democrats at Dartmouth University on Feb. 10, 2020 in Hanover, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in the New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostGeorgia Ballman, 5, with her parents came out to supports Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet at a polling place at St. Anthony Community Center on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet, center, with two of his daughters Anne Bennet, 15, left, and Caroline Bennet, 20, walk up to polling place at St. Anthony Community Center to thanks supporters on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostKatie Smith, a student at Dartmouth University, uses her hurt foot to cleanup balloons from the stage after Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet spoke to college democrats at Dartmouth University on Feb. 10, 2020 in Hanover, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet speaks with supporters at his New Hampshire headquarters on Feb. 11, 2020, in Nashua, N.H. Bennet hoped to finish strong in the state's primary but dropped out as results came in that night.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostTami Correll stops to get a photo of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet as he eats lunch and meets voters inside the Bridge Cafe on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet leaves a polling place at St. Anthony Community Center to head to his next stop on Feb. 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet takes a moment before he tells the crowd he plans to drop out of the 2020 Presidential race in Concord, New Hampshire, on on Feb. 11, 2020. Bennet's family was at his side as he spoke to his supporters at New Hampshire Primary watch party at The Barley House.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostFrom left Michael Bennetap daughters, Caroline Bennet, 20, Halina Bennet, 19, Anne Bennet, 15, and his wife Susan Daggett, listen as Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet drops out of the 2020 Presidential race on Feb. 11, 2020 in Concord, New Hampshire. Bennet spoke to his supporters at New Hampshire Primary watch party.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostDemocratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet hugs his youngest daughter after he drops out of the 2020 Presidential race in Concord, New Hampshire, on Feb. 11, 2020. Bennetap family, from left, his wife Susan Daggett, Anne Bennet, 15, Halina Bennet, 19, and Caroline Bennet, 20, were on stage when he spoke to supporters at New Hampshire Primary watch party.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
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Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet pulls his suitcase to his car, before heading back to the hotel for the night, after speaking to college democrats at Dartmouth University on Feb. 10, 2020 in Hanover, New Hampshire. Colorado Senator Michael Bennet hopes his campaign can finish strong in New Hampshire Primary.
By RJ Sangosti | rsangosti@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
Welcome to Michael Bennet’s last hurrah.
The 55-year-old U.S. senator’s cash-strapped campaign to be the Democratic presidential nominee — focused almost singularly on New Hampshire’s primary for the last few months — appears to be headed for a quiet conclusion when voting ends Tuesday night. At least, that’s if opinion polls are to be believed: The latest ones continued to place his New Hampshire support at zero to 1% — and 2% if he’s lucky.
Still, after nine months as a presidential candidate, Bennet is holding out hope that was buttressed by larger crowds at his events over the weekend. The Coloradan acknowledged during an interview in his Nashua headquarters Tuesday morning that he might have a tough decision to make tonight. He said he needed to pull off a seemingly impossible feat by coming in third or fourth.