Rep.Jared Polis has defeated his Republican opponent by a strong margin and won the Colorado gubernatorial race, becoming the first openly gay person elected governor in the United States, according to unofficial results. Photo: Office of Rep. Jared Solis.
Jared Polis has defeated his Republican opponent by a strong margin and won the Colorado gubernatorial race, becoming the first openly gay person elected governor in the United States, according to unofficial results.
Polis won about 51 percent of the vote, compared to Walker Stapleton, with 70 percent of the vote reported.
Polis will succeed Democrat John Hickenlooper, who’s been governor since 2011
Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, a Democrat, came out as gay while in office in 2004. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, also a Democrat, is openly bisexual, which made her the first openly LGBTQ person elected governor when she won in 2016.
Polis, a Democrat who has served in the House of Representatives since 2009, didn’t hide his sexual orientation on the campaign trail.
Polis, who ran on a progressive platform, vowed to fight for Medicare-for-all. He also backed stronger gun laws, investments in renewable energy, repeal of the death penalty, universal full-day preschool and kindergarten as an extension of Colorado’s public schools, and expanded broadband access.
Phillip Zonkel can be reached at phillip.zonkel@qvoicenews.com or 562-294-5996.
