Colorado Elects Nation’s First Openly Gay Governor

Democratic US Rep., Jared Polis became the next governor of Colorado and the nation’s first openly gay man elected to a governor’s mansion. 

Polis defeated Republican nominee Walker Stapleton and will succeed Democratic Gov., John Hickenlooper. The historic win means Democrats will control the governor’s mansion in Colorado. 

Polis is just one of the LGBT candidates to run for governor in 2018 including Brown in Oregon, Vermont Democrat, Christine Hallquist, and Texas Democrat, Lupe Valdez.

Democratic Gov., Kate Brown, is already the first openly LBGT person elected to governor, as she identifies as bisexual. Former New Jersey Gov., Jim McGreevey, came out as gay before he stepped down from office. 

Polis was also the first openly gay man elected to the House as a freshman in 2008.

In the meantime, the Midterms also welcomed a slew of other firsts, including, Rashida Tlaib and IIhan Omar who became the first Muslim congresswomen, Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland became the first Native American congresswomen, Marsha Blackburn became Tenn. first female senator, Janet Mills became Maine’s first female governor, Ayanna Pressley became Mass. first black congress member, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman in congress, Abby Finkenauer became Iowa’s first congresswoman, and the most women ever elected in House.