Presidential candidate John Hickenlooper was mistaken for a member of the media at the first Democratic debates

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Gov. John Hickenlooper

• Democratic presidential candidate and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper was mistaken for a reporter while checking in for the first round of Democratic debates taking place tonight, according to NPR.
• 20 out of the 25 Democratic 2020 presidential candidates are currently descending on Miami, Florida for the first Democratic debates.
• Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor and mayor of Denver, is running from the center as a progressive, business-friendly candidate.
• Last month, several members of Congress running long-shot campaigns for president poked a little fun at themselves in a series of tweets where they called each other by the names of other white, male, lesser-known presidential candidates.
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Twenty Democratic 2020 presidential candidates are currently descending on Miami, Florida for the first round of Democratic debates - and many people, even security guards working the event, have trouble identifying all the candidates or telling them apart. 

Democratic presidential candidate and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper had the misfortune of being mistaken for a reporter while checking in for the Democratic debates taking place June 26 and 27, according to a tweet from NPR reporter Scott Detrow, who is covering the event from Miami.

Read more: Here's who will be on the stage for this week's Democratic debates, what time they'll start, and how to watch

The 2020 Democratic field currently includes a former vice president, eight current and former US senators, seven current and former members of the House of Representatives, four mayors, three governors, and two candidates, Andrew Yang and Marianne Williamson, who have never held elected office. 

A representative for Hickenlooper's campaign did not immediately respond to a text from INSIDER inquiring as to whether being mistaken for a reporter at official events is a frequent occurrence for Hickenlooper, who will be one of 10 candidates on the stage for the second night of debates. 

Read more: Two longshot 2020 Democratic candidates are bashing socialism and the left wing of their party as part of their campaign strategies

Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor and mayor of Denver, is running from the center as a progressive, business-friendly candidate, publicly decrying ambitious policy proposals like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. He's currently polling at 1% in Morning Consult's daily survey of the Democratic primary. 

Last month, several members of Congress running long-shot campaigns for president including Sen. Michael Bennet and Reps. Tim Ryan and Seth Moulton poked a little fun at themselves in a series of tweets where they called eachother by the names of other white, male, lesser-known presidential candidates. 

The first round of Democratic debates, however, could provide an opportunity for these candidates to have a breakout moment, boost their name recognition, and raise their national profile. 

Read more:

Meet John Hickenlooper, the brewery owner turned governor and a Democratic presidential candidate who could pose a serious challenge to Trump in 2020

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