Jared Polis might become the first openly gay governor in the history of the United States.
At 7:45 p.m. local time, the 43-year-old Boulder native was declared the winner of the Democratic nomination for governor of Colorado, by a comfortable margin.
Polis currently represents Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives, and in November he faces off against Republican Walker Stapleton, Colorado’s state treasurer. Stapleton also won his nomination by some margin.
Stapleton, second cousin of George W. Bush, has frequently expressed support for the Trump administration.
A Princeton graduate, Polis is one of the wealthiest members of Congress and is widely known for donating to liberal causes.
Polis has a long-term partner, Marlon Reis. In 2011, Polis became the first openly gay parent in Congress when they welcomed a son, Caspian. They also have a daughter, Cora.
In a recent interview The Advocate, Polis bluntly stated that he wants to fight Trump’s agenda:
“With Trump moving us backward on so many issues, we really need bold leadership at the state level,” he said. “I feel I can make more progress back home in Colorado.”
The first-ever openly gay gubernatorial candidate (not one that was outed while in office—because that’s definitely happened, too) was Maine Dem Mike Michaud. In 2014, he lost to a anti-LGBT Republican —in a very tight race.
So, let this be the first of many reminders —get out and vote in November, everyone! It’s impossible to overstate how important it is.