Jared Polis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jared Polis
Polis in 2019
43rd Governor of Colorado
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2019
Lieutenant	Dianne Primavera
Preceded by	John Hickenlooper
Chair of the National Governors Association
Incumbent
Assumed office July 12, 2024
Preceded by	Spencer Cox
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Mark Udall
Succeeded by	Joe Neguse
Member of the Colorado State Board of Education from the at-large district
In office January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Ben Alexander
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Jared Schutz (1975-05-12) May 12, 1975 (age 50) Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Marlon Reis ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	2
Relatives	Susan Polis (mother)
Education	Princeton University (BA)
Signature

Jared Schutz Polis (born May 12, 1975) is an American politician and businessman. He has been the 43rd governor of Colorado since 2019. Before becoming governor, he served on the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 to 2007. He was also a U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd district from 2009 to 2019.

Polis has made history several times in his political career. In 2008, he became one of the first openly gay men elected to Congress. In 2018, he became the first openly gay man elected governor of a U.S. state. He is also the first Jewish person to be elected governor of Colorado. In 2021, he became the first governor in a same-sex marriage. He was reelected governor in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Jared Polis was born in Boulder, Colorado, in 1975. His parents, Stephen Schutz and Susan Polis Schutz, started a company called Blue Mountain Arts. This company is known for its greeting cards and books.

Polis went to high school in San Diego, California. He finished high school in three years with many honors. In 1996, he graduated from Princeton University with a degree in politics. While at Princeton, he was involved in student government and other campus groups. In 2000, he legally changed his last name to Polis, his mother's maiden name.

Business Career and Success

Even while in college, Polis started his first company, American Information Systems (AIS), Inc. This company provided internet access. He sold it in 1998. In 1996, he also co-founded bluemountain.com, a website for free electronic greeting cards. This website was sold in 1999 for a large sum of money.

In 1998, Polis started ProFlowers, an online flower delivery service. This company later became Provide Commerce, Inc., and went public on the stock market in 2003. In 2005, another company bought Provide Commerce. Polis also helped start TechStars in Boulder, Colorado, in 2006. During his time in Congress, he was known as one of its wealthiest members.

Early Steps in Politics

Polis was part of a group called the "Gang of Four." This group included four wealthy Coloradans who helped support Democratic candidates in state elections. Their influence helped Colorado become more Democratic in the 2000s and 2010s.

Serving on the State Board of Education

Polis in 2002

In 2000, Polis was elected to the Colorado State Board of Education. He served one six-year term until 2007. His election was very close, as he won by only 90 votes. During his time on the board, Polis served as both chairman and vice chairman.

Supporting Ballot Measures

In 2006, Polis helped lead a campaign for Amendment 41. This measure aimed to ban gifts from lobbyists to government officials. It also set limits on gifts from others and created an independent ethics commission. Colorado voters approved this amendment in November 2006.

In 2007, he supported a ballot question for the Boulder Valley School District. This question asked to issue bonds to improve school buildings. Voters approved this measure, which was the largest school bond proposal in Colorado that year.

In 2014, Polis planned to support two measures to limit fracking in Colorado. Fracking is a method used to extract oil and gas. These measures would have banned drilling near schools and homes. However, he dropped his support after reaching an agreement with Governor John Hickenlooper.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Winning Elections for Congress

Polis campaigning in 2008

In 2008, Polis won a tough primary election for Colorado's 2nd congressional district. He then won the general election with 63% of the vote. He took over from Mark Udall, who was elected to the U.S. Senate. Polis was reelected to the House four more times, serving until 2019.

Key Roles and Actions in Congress

Polis during the 112th Congress

Polis played an important role in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2012 elections. He helped find and raise money for Democratic candidates.

Polis during a TED Talk in 2010

Legislation Polis Supported

Polis introduced several important bills during his time in Congress. One example is the Affordable College Textbook Act. This bill aimed to make college textbooks more affordable for students.

Committee Work

Polis served on several important committees in the House of Representatives. These included:

• The Committee on Education and the Workforce, which deals with schools and jobs.
• The Committee on Natural Resources, which handles issues related to land, energy, and the environment.
• The Committee on Rules, which decides how bills are debated and voted on.

Caucus Memberships

Polis was part of many different groups in Congress called caucuses. These groups focus on specific issues. Some of the caucuses he joined included:

• The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which supports progressive policies.
• The LGBT Equality Caucus, where he served as co-chair.
• The Congressional Blockchain Caucus, also as co-chair.
• The Problem Solvers Caucus, which works to find common ground between parties.

Governor of Colorado

Winning the Governor's Race

Polis with President Donald Trump and Doug Burgum in May 2020

In 2018, Jared Polis ran for governor of Colorado. He won the election with 53.4% of the vote, beating Republican Walker Stapleton. This made him the first openly gay person elected governor of any U.S. state. He was sworn into office on January 8, 2019.

Polis with President Joe Biden in January 2022

Polis won his reelection campaign in 2022.

Serving as Governor

As governor, Polis has focused on various issues. An effort to remove him from office through a recall failed. Polis stated that recalls should not be used for political games.

Political Views and Actions

Protecting Civil Liberties

Polis (right) with then-Representative Xavier Becerra of California in Westminster, Colorado

In the House, Polis was a strong supporter of civil liberties. He believed in balancing the power of different government branches. He also argued that the government needs a warrant to monitor Americans.

Some people have called Polis a "libertarian" because of his views. He supports allowing parents to choose schools for their children and letting children play unsupervised. He also opposed certain COVID-19 rules and supports a very low income tax rate.

Internet Freedom

Polis supports a free and open internet. He has spoken out against bills like SOPA and PIPA, which aimed to fight online piracy. He believed these bills could harm the internet. He said they "directly threaten the very internet that has brought humanity great prosperity."

Polis also helped create "Aaron's Law." This bill aimed to change a law about computer fraud. He felt the charges against internet activist Aaron Swartz were too harsh.

National Defense and Privacy

Polis voted against the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). He opposed a part of the law that allowed for indefinite detention without trial. He also strongly opposed the PATRIOT Act, which allows the government to spy on citizens under certain conditions. He believed this act had been misused.

Supporting Cryptocurrency

In 2014, Polis became the first U.S. representative to accept campaign donations in Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a type of digital currency.

Improving Education

Polis has worked to improve education. In 2011, he introduced the Race to the Top Act. This law aimed to reward states for making big changes in their education systems. It also allowed more funding for charter schools.

Polis has also sponsored other education bills, including:

• The SLICE (School Lunch Improvements for Children's Education) Act: This bill aimed to make school meals healthier. Polis argued that pizza should not be counted as a vegetable.
• The Defending Special Education Students and Families Act: This bill aimed to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA helps provide support for students with disabilities.

He also introduced the Computer Science Education Act to help with job training for tech jobs.

Energy Policy

In 2014, Polis supported two ballot measures about hydraulic fracturing (fracking). He wanted to move fracking operations further away from homes to improve people's quality of life. He later withdrew his support after reaching an agreement with the governor.

Foreign Policy Views

Afghanistan

Polis supported removing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He believed that the ongoing military presence was not in America's best interest. He visited Afghanistan and met with officials to understand the situation better. He felt that focusing on intelligence and special operations was more effective than a large troop presence.

Iran

Polis voted for laws that increased economic sanctions against Iran. These sanctions aimed to put pressure on Iran's energy sector.

Iraq

Polis opposed the Iraq War from the beginning. He called it a "colossal mistake." He visited Iraq and praised a policy that funded former Iraqi military officials to help keep order. He also expressed concern about building up a strong Iraqi military that could be used against innocent people.

Human Rights Advocacy

As a member of Congress, Polis spoke out for human rights. He urged the U.S. government to investigate reports of torture and executions of LGBT Iraqis. He also called on the State Department to address violence against the LGBT community in Honduras.

Immigration Policy

In May 2019, as governor, Polis signed a bill that changed immigration enforcement in Colorado. This bill stopped law enforcement from holding undocumented immigrants based only on requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Supporting LGBT Rights

Polis has been a strong advocate for LGBT rights. He was one of the first openly gay members of Congress. He pushed for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. He praised the Obama administration's decision to stop defending DOMA.

Polis was also a sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act. This act repealed DOMA and allowed marriage recognition for gay and lesbian couples across the U.S. He also led efforts for the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA). This act would protect LGBT students from discrimination in schools.

Polis voted to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This policy prevented openly gay and lesbian military members from serving. He believed that this policy harmed national security by forcing talented people out of the military. He also supported the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which helps federal authorities investigate hate crimes.

In 2014, Polis tried to bring the LGBT Employment Non-Discrimination Act to a vote in the House. This act would protect LGBT people from discrimination in the workplace.

Personal Life

Polis (center) with his at the time boyfriend, Marlon Reis (left), and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House

Jared Polis is the first openly gay man elected to Congress who was not already serving. He was also the first openly gay parent in Congress. Polis and his husband, Marlon Reis, have a son and a daughter. They were married in 2021 in a small Jewish ceremony. Polis is Jewish.

In 2019, Queerty magazine named Polis one of the "Pride50" for his work in promoting equality for queer people. Polis enjoys playing video games like League of Legends. He is also a big fan of Colorado sports teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, and Denver Broncos.

Polis has often spoken about his love for Taylor Swift's music. He has used her song lyrics in public messages and speeches.

Electoral History

Polis has run in several elections throughout his career. Here are some of his results:

See also

In Spanish: Jared Polis para niños

• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Libertarian Democrat
• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
• List of LGBT members of the United States Congress
• List of openly LGBT heads of government
• List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United States