YOUR AD HERE »

Jared Polis claims historic win over Walker Stapleton to become Colorado’s next governor

Jon Murray/The Denver Post

Voters on Tuesday have handed the reins of Colorado’s government to Jared Polis, a five-term congressman from Boulder whose pledges on an array of issues promised a leftward shift for a state that long had reveled in its middle-ground status.

In calling for Colorado to head in a more progressive direction, Polis prevailed over Republican Walker Stapleton – the two-term state treasurer, who spent much of the campaign pleading with voters to put the brakes on Polis’ agenda.

At 8:30 p.m., Polis was leading 51 percent to 45 percent, with an estimated two-thirds of the vote counted.

Polis, 43, makes history both as Colorado’s first Jewish governor and the first openly gay man elected to lead any U.S. state. (New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey came out as gay while in office in 2004.)

He is a tech entrepreneur who first won election to the Colorado State Board of Education in 2000. Stapleton is a businessman and real estate investor who won his first election as treasurer in 2008. He lives in Greenwood Village.

Two other candidates also were on the ballot: Libertarian Scott Helker had received 2.4 percent and Unity Party candidate Bill Hammons was at 1 percent.

Read the rest of the article at The Denver Post.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.