Republican former Colorado state Rep. Janak Joshi has filed the paperwork to run for U.S. Senate. Credit: Colorado Sun

Former Republican state Rep. Janak Joshi filed paperwork early this month to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper’s bid for reelection, becoming the first experienced GOP candidate to take on one of Colorado’s most enduring politicians.

Known for his unrelentingly conservative approach during his three terms as a state lawmaker from Colorado Springs in the last decade, Joshi sought the GOP nomination last year in the 8th Congressional District. Despite winning an endorsement from the state Republican Party, Joshi  lost the primary by an overwhelming margin to Republican state lawmaker Gabe Evans, who went on to unseat Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo in November.

Joshi confirmed to newsmen that he created a campaign committee for the Senate seat with the Federal Election Commission but declined to comment further, saying he’ll discuss his candidacy when he formally launches his run.

An immigrant from India, Joshi said last year when he announced his congressional campaign that he arrived in the United States more than 50 years ago “with a suitcase, $100 and deep convictions to serve others first and uphold the rule of law.”

Joshi is a former physician. He voluntarily surrendered his medical license in 2008, a year after the state suspended his license following his admission of “unprofessional conduct” in the care of a 76-year-old patient.

Hickenlooper, a former two-term Denver mayor and former two-term governor, defeated the last Republican to hold a major statewide office in Colorado when he beat then-U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner by 9 percentage points in 2020.

While his campaign has yet to report its second quarter fundraising totals — filings are due to the FEC any moment from now — Hickenlooper raised more than $1 million in the year’s first quarter and finished the period with almost $2.25 million in the bank.

Nonpartisan election forecasters rank Colorado’s Senate seat among the country’s least competitive on the 2026 map, calling it a solid Democratic seat.

When he launched his run in the 8th CD in early 2024, Joshi vowed to be “”big government’s worst enemy” and described himself as the only candidate in the race “with a proven conservative record to show that actions speak louder than mere words.”

Said Joshi: “Our precious rights as Americans come from God, not the federal government that is out-of-control with debt and spending and back-breaking laws and regulations that only rob citizens of their prosperity and freedom. Send me to Congress and I’ll be big-government’s worst enemy.”

Hickenlooper’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment on Joshi’s candidacy.

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib told Colorado Politics that Joshi was the ideal GOP nominee.

“Janak Joshi is one of the most far-right politicians in Colorado,” Murib said in a text message. “His record of having his medical license suspended and inflating his resume makes him a perfect fit for today’s Republican Party.”

After serving the state House from 2011-2017, Joshi lost his bid for a fourth term by more than 20 percentage points in a contentious 2016 primary against fellow Republican Larry Liston, a former state lawmaker who was later elected to represent an El Paso County state Senate seat. Joshi also made unsuccessful runs for the Colorado Springs City Council in 2003 and 2017.