Jared Polis ()

Jared Polis is the 43rd Governor of Colorado, a Democrat elected in 2018 and serving since 2019. Born in Boulder, Colorado, in 1975, he spent his high school years in San Diego and is notable as the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States and Colorado's first Jewish governor. An entrepreneur, philanthropist, and education advocate, Polis launched successful tech companies from his Princeton dorm room, including American Information Systems and ProFlowers. He founded schools for at-risk youth and immigrants, nonprofits like Patriot Bootcamp for veterans, and co-founded the TechStars startup incubator. As Governor, he has delivered universal free full-day kindergarten, free preschool, healthcare cost reductions, progress toward 100% renewable energy by 2040, small business tax cuts, and investments in housing and transportation, while maintaining strong economic growth.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1996, where he co-founded his first internet service provider.
• Political Experience: Served six years on the Colorado State Board of Education, raising teacher pay and reducing class sizes; represented Colorado's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2009 to 2019, rated the most effective member of Colorado's delegation for bipartisan work on schools, public lands, and small businesses. Term limits prevent him from running for governor in 2026.