Peña to be Colorado's last superdelegate after Hickenlooper withdraws

Former Denver Mayor and Barack Obama national co-chair Federico Peña will be Colorado's 15th and final superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention after current Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper dropped out of the race Wednesday.

Peña and Hickenlooper were set to face off for the superdelegate position this weekend at the state Democratic convention in Colorado Springs.

But Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak said Hickenlooper left a phone message with her stating that he had decided to drop out of the race.

Hickenlooper told Waak he wasn't able to be in Colorado Springs this weekend. Waak also said Hickenlooper had talked with Peña and "decided that he just would sort of step back" from the race.

The Denver mayor's office did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Peña, as a major Obama campaign official, has been quietly promoted by supporters of the U.S. senator from Illinois, the Denver Post reported. 

Hickenlooper, meanwhile, had pledged to remain neutral in the race between Obama and Hillary Clinton while he works to raise $55 million in cash donations and services for Denver's convention host committee, the Post reported.

As chair of the host committee, Hickenlooper will still appear and play a role at the Democratic National Convention in August.  

If Peña is confirmed as a superdelegate this weekend, he would be the sixth Colorado superdelegate to endorse Obama.

Four Colorado superdelegates have backed Hillary Clinton, while five remain uncommitted.