Colorado Makes History By Electing First Gay Man to Serve as Governor of U.S. State

Jared Polis is headed to the governor’s chair.

The Democrat made history on Tuesday night by winning Colorado’s gubernatorial race. With 57 percent of precincts reporting, Polis led with 51.7 percent of the vote. His Republican challenger, Walker Stapleton, claimed 44.9 percent.

That victory makes the 43-year-old politician the first out gay man to serve as governor of a U.S. state.

Prior to Nov. 6, just one openly LGBTQ official has ever won a gubernatorial election. Oregon’s Kate Brown, who faces a tough reelection contest against conservative Knute Buehler, is bisexual.

Other LGBTQ governor candidates did not fare as well in the 2018 midterms.

Texas’ Lupe Valdez, a lesbian, was defeated by incumbent Republican Greg Abbott. At the time of publication, Christine Hallquist of Vermont trailed the sitting governor, conservative Phil Scott, by 17.9 percent. She is the first trans woman to win the gubernatorial primary of a major U.S. party.

Photo by Jeremy Papasso/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images

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