Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said he would turn down an appointment to the U.S. Senate if asked, insisting he could accomplish more while leading the city government.

“No, I would not do that,” Johnston said during a City Cast Denver podcast when asked if he would be willing to fill U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s seat. 

The question assumes the scenario that Bennet wins his race for governor, under which he would then appoint his successor to the U.S. Senate.  

“I love this job. We have so many things that we are in the midst of doing that I want to see through and I think that this is the highest impact place in the state to do those things,” said Johnston, who won his race for mayor two years ago.  

He then listed his priorities, notably resolving the challenges of affordable housing, public safety, and homelessness.

“I love this job every day and I have no plan to leave it,” he said.

The prospect of Bennet possibly anointing his successor caused a stir when Bennet joined the primary race a few months ago, with journalists asking whether he would resign his Senate seat early if he won, before being sworn in as governor, so that outgoing Democratic Gov. Jared Polis could fill the vacancy.

Bennet has made clear he plans to stay in the Senate through the election and, given the chance, hopes to choose who fills his seat.

“I was appointed, as you know, to this seat, and it matters a lot to me who’s in it,” Bennet had told 9News anchor Kyle Clark. “And the thing that I believe is that we have an unbelievable amount of talent in Colorado, an unbelievable amount of political leadership, and I’m looking forward to thinking about that, but not thinking about it, you know, until this election is done.”

Bennet added that he can appreciate arguments for either appointing a caretaker senator — who wouldn’t seek a full term — as some governors have done, or naming a senator who’s in it for the long haul, like Bennet was when he got the job.

Bennet faces Attorney General Phil Weiser in the Democratic primary. Weiser, who is term-limited, had launched his gubernatorial campaign in January.

Reporter Ernest Luning contributed to this article.