1st openly gay governor in U.S. elected in Colorado

COLORADO — Democrat Jared Polis made history Tuesday, becoming the first openly gay man to win a gubernatorial election.

Polis won Colorado, according to projections from ABC News.

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BACKGROUND ON POLIS

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis has defeated Republican state Treasurer Walker Stapleton in the Colorado governor's race.

Polis' victory Tuesday keeps the governor's seat in Democratic hands. The 43-year-old Polis will succeed the term-limited John Hickenlooper to become Colorado's first openly gay governor.

Polis is a five-term congressman and technology entrepreneur who promised to fight for universal health care, renewable energy standards and publicly funded preschool and kindergarten.

He vowed to stand up to President Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle former President Barack Obama's health care law.

Stapleton is a two-term state treasurer who campaigned on defending Colorado's constitutional restrictions on taxing and spending. The 44-year-old Stapleton insisted Polis' ideas for funding K-12 education, roads and energy would bankrupt the state.

Colorado has not had a Republican governor since 2007.

Cox Media Group