Hickenlooper takes blame for campaign struggles, says you ‘can’t switch or trade in a new candidate’

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) said on Sunday that he believed the majority of the issues facing his presidential campaign had to do with him but maintained he would remain in the race.

“Certainly the vast majority of the problems with the campaign was me not being as good of a messenger as I need to be, but you can’t switch or trade in a new candidate,” Hickenlooper said in an interview, according to The Denver Post.

{mosads}The former governor said some skills needed to be a good presidential candidate didn’t come naturally to him, “like being a really good debater, being real smooth with wealthy donors.”

“I’m committed to growing and working and getting better,” he said. 

The comments come after the former governor’s campaign faced significant turnover, with the announced departures of his campaign manager, national finance director and spokeswoman, among other staffers. 

When asked by MSNBC last week about whether he had let members of his staff go or if they had quit, Hickenlooper said it was a “combination of the two.”

Media reports have also surfaced that Hickenlooper has struggled to gain traction in the polls and with Democratic donors. 

The former Colorado governor has also faced criticism from progressive Democrats, who have exerted a greater influence in the party during this election cycle than in the past.

He was booed after he denounced socialism at the California Democratic Party’s convention in San Francisco last month and, ahead of last month’s first Democratic debate, sparred with some progressives running for the nomination.