Michael Bennet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Bennet
Official portrait, 2022
United States Senator from Colorado
Incumbent
Assumed office January 21, 2009 Serving with John Hickenlooper
Preceded by	Ken Salazar
Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015
Leader	Harry Reid
Preceded by	Patty Murray
Succeeded by	Jon Tester
Superintendent of Denver Public Schools
In office July 1, 2005 – January 21, 2009
Preceded by	Jerome Wartgow
Succeeded by	Tom Boasberg
Personal details
Born	Michael Farrand Bennet (1964-11-28) November 28, 1964 (age 60) New Delhi, India
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Susan Daggett ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	3
Parent	Douglas J. Bennet (father)
Relatives	James Bennet (brother)
Education	Wesleyan University (BA) Yale University (JD)
Signature
Website

Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician. He is the senior United States senator for the state of Colorado. He has held this job since 2009 and is a member of the Democratic Party.

Before becoming a senator, Bennet worked in business and public service. He was the chief of staff for Denver's mayor, John Hickenlooper. He also served as the superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

Bennet was appointed to the Senate in 2009. This happened when Senator Ken Salazar became the Secretary of the Interior. Bennet has since won three elections to keep his seat in the Senate. In 2019, he ran for the Democratic nomination for president. In April 2025, he announced he was running for governor of Colorado.

Early Life and Schooling

Michael Bennet was born in New Delhi, India. His father, Douglas J. Bennet, worked for the U.S. government as an aide to the ambassador to India. His mother, Susanne, was a school librarian and a Holocaust survivor from Warsaw, Poland.

Bennet grew up in Washington, D.C.. As a child, he had dyslexia, which made reading difficult, and he had to repeat the second grade. He later attended St. Albans School and worked as a page on Capitol Hill.

In 1987, Bennet graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in history. He later went to Yale Law School and earned a law degree in 1993. At Yale, he was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal, a very important student-run legal magazine.

Career Before the Senate

Bennet (right) with then-mayor John Hickenlooper and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez in 2003

After college, Bennet worked for Ohio governor Richard Celeste. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice during the Clinton administration.

In 1997, Bennet moved to Colorado. He worked for six years as a managing director for the Anschutz Investment Company. There, he helped manage large business projects, including combining three movie theater companies into the Regal Entertainment Group.

Bennet later returned to public service. He became the chief of staff for Denver's mayor, John Hickenlooper, from 2003 to 2005. In 2005, he was chosen to be the superintendent of Denver Public Schools. Even though he had not been a school administrator before, he helped improve graduation rates and college enrollment for students in Denver.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

Bennet during the 111th Congress

In January 2009, Colorado's governor appointed Bennet to the U.S. Senate. He filled the seat left open by Ken Salazar. Since then, Bennet has won three elections to keep his position.

Senate Elections

2010 Election

County results of the 2010 race

In his first election, Bennet faced Republican Ken Buck. The race was very close and expensive. Bennet won with 48.1% of the vote.

2016 Election

County results of the 2016 race

Bennet ran for reelection in 2016. He defeated Republican Darryl Glenn, winning 50% of the vote. This was the first time he became Colorado's senior senator, as the other senator, Mark Udall, had left office.

2022 Election

County results of the 2022 race

In 2022, Bennet won his third term. He defeated Republican businessman Joe O'Dea. Bennet received 55.9% of the vote, his largest victory margin.

Committee Work

As a senator, Bennet serves on several important committees. These groups help create and review laws for the country. His committee assignments include:

• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
• Committee on Finance
• Committee on Rules and Administration
• Select Committee on Intelligence

Key Political Views

Official portrait, 2009

Bennet's political positions are generally considered liberal. He often works with members of both parties. The Lugar Center ranked him in the top third of senators for being bipartisan in 2023.

Economic Policy

Bennet has worked on policies to help families. In 2019, he and Republican Senator Mitt Romney proposed a plan to give money to parents to help with the cost of raising children. This is often called a child allowance.

Environmental and Energy Policy

Bennet supports policies to address climate change. He has pushed for funding for clean energy and conservation. He was one of a few Democrats who supported the Keystone XL pipeline, a project to transport oil. He also voted to block a ban on hydraulic fracturing, a method of getting oil and gas from the ground.

Gun Laws

Bennet supports stricter gun laws. After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, he called for changes to keep guns away from people who shouldn't have them. He supports universal background checks for all gun sales. In 2013, he voted to ban high-capacity magazines but voted against a ban on certain types of rifles.

Health Care

Bennet supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often called Obamacare) in 2010. He has also proposed a plan called "Medicare X" with Senator Tim Kaine. This plan would create a government-run health insurance option that people could choose instead of private insurance.

Immigration

Bennet has worked on immigration reform. In 2013, he was part of a bipartisan group of eight senators called the "Gang of Eight." They wrote a bill to improve border security and create a path to citizenship for many immigrants. The bill passed the Senate but not the House of Representatives.

2020 Presidential Campaign

Bennet speaking at the 2019 Iowa Democratic Wing Ding in August 2019

On May 2, 2019, Bennet announced he was running for president. He wanted to be the Democratic Party's nominee for the 2020 election. His campaign slogan was "Building Opportunity Together."

He participated in some of the early debates but struggled to gain support. After poor results in the first primary elections, he ended his campaign on February 11, 2020.

2026 Colorado Governor Campaign

In April 2025, Bennet announced he was running for governor of Colorado in the 2026 election. He joined a primary race against other Democrats, including Colorado's Attorney General, Phil Weiser.

Personal Life

Bennet married Susan Daggett, a lawyer, in 1997. They have three daughters and live in Denver.

His mother's family is Jewish, and his father's family is Christian. Bennet has said he was raised with both heritages. His brother, James Bennet, is a journalist who once worked for The New York Times.

In 2019, Bennet announced he had prostate cancer. He had successful surgery and did not need further treatment.

Electoral history

See also

In Spanish: Michael Bennet para niños

• List of United States senators born outside the United States