Michael Bennet to undergo surgery for prostate cancer, uncertainty over presidential bid

United States Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, previously mentioned as a possible contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said on Wednesday that he will undergo surgery for prostate cancer during the upcoming legislative break. "Late last month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. While hearing news like this is never easy, I am fortunate it was detected early, and as a result, my prognosis is good," Bennet, a Democrat, said in a brief statement released by his office.

"During the upcoming Senate recess, I will have surgery in Colorado and return to work following a brief recovery," Bennet said in the statement. An adviser to Bennet told the Denver Post newspaper last month that the 54-year-old former Clinton Administration official had not made a final decision about whether to join the already crowded field seeking his party's presidential nomination.

Already more than a dozen candidates have jumped into the race, including Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper. Several others, including former vice president Joe Biden, are said to be making preparations for a run. Bennet was appointed to the Senate in 2009 after his predecessor, Ken Salazar, was named the secretary of the interior by President Barack Obama. Bennet, whose father Douglas was a U.S. State Department official, was elected to his first full term in the Senate in 2010. He won re-election in 2016.

(With inputs from agencies.)