John Ronquillo, an Aurora resident who initially sought the state Senate District 28 seat held by term-limited Sen. Nancy Todd, has withdrawn from that race and now plans to run for the seat held by Speaker Pro Tempore Janet Buckner, who announced Monday that she’s running for Todd’s seat.

Ronquillo, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, said in a statement: “I am happy to give my full support and endorsement to Janet Buckner in the Senate District 28 race, and I will instead seek to succeed her in the House. I am excited to work with her on behalf of our neighbors in Aurora and on behalf of all Coloradans.”

Ronquillo joins fellow Democrat Naquetta Ricks of Aurora in running for the House District 40 race in 2020. Ricks is president of the African Chamber of Commerce and previously ran unsuccessfully for CU Regent (2014), state House District 42 (2016) and the Aurora City Council (2017).

Buckner has not yet filed for the Senate District 28 seat but isn’t alone in that race, either. Attorney Maria-Vittoria Carminati, a Democrat, also has filed to run for the Senate position.