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Loading ...Third gay elected to Congress
11.04.2008 11:39pm EST
(Washington) Colorado Democrat Jared Polis will become the third openly gay member of Congress when he is sworn in in January.
Polis, a 33-year-old entrepreneur who made millions creating Internet-based businesses, beat Republican Scott Starin to represent the 2nd District , which includes his hometown of Boulder.He will join fellow Democrats Barney Frank (Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (Wisc.) in the House.
There have been at least five other gays and lesbians in Congress, including currently serving Reps. Frank and Baldwin. Frank came out while in Congress. Baldwin was open about her sexuality when first elected.
Frank and Baldwin had little difficulty Tuesday winning re-election.
Polis’ 2nd District is firmly Democratic, but he took no chances and ran a strong campaign, putting much of his own money into the run. He also had the support of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.
Previously, Polis was elected statewide to the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 – 2007. During that time he served a term as vice-chairman and one as chairman.
In 2000, he founded the Jared Polis Foundation, which works to improve and expand access to education. Its annual Teacher Recognition Awards celebrate the enormous commitment and importance of teachers. Hundreds of teachers and their schools receive micro-grants as part of this program.
Polis came out publicly while serving on the Board of Education.
During his tenure on the Board, he successfully worked to establish new ways to help schools close the learning gap, improved access to online education, helped win increased funding for at-risk students, and worked to improve teacher preparation programs at our colleges and universities.
Polis also co-chaired a successful $300 million bond initiative in the Boulder Valley School District to make repairs and upgrades to learning environments across the district as well as improve energy efficiency.
The only other candidate seeking a seat in Congress, Democrat Linda Ketner, lost her bid for South Carolina’s 1st District. She ran against four-term Republican incumbent Henry Brown.
Read 365gay’s profile on Jared Polis.
Johnny NoDik, Um Huh, C**k Chewer,Gay Wad:
im gled too sea thet hom skoolin is werkin aut fer yoos.
I guess a “literate bigot” is an oxyMORON (chuckle).
Unlike kraven konservative kristianist kultist krazies (KKKKK for short), I don’t need JEEEEEEEEEEE-zus to forgive me for being gay, since He gifted me with my gay identity to begin with, and created me in His own image, according to the same Scriptures you use to justify verbal (and physical) gay-bashing.
Oh well, neither theology nor logic were ever the KKKKK’s strong suit.
Cheers,
Bud Burgoon-Clark
San Diego CA USA
happily Christian
happily Gay
happily Married to my HUSBAND
Johhny, Sadly you are a Fascist BIGOT. God made Gays just the same as you and me. You can’t be a Christian and only love the people you happen to want to to. May God forgive your hate or else you will be the one burning in hell my friend. PS: Those you eat pork can’t get into heaven either under your understanding of the Bible. You are indeed a fool.
Michael: are you gay??
Jared POLE is .. MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe Jared can play ring around the rosie and stuff with the other gays and really get things done. Actually , lets just make the whole world gay ! Yeah ! cause that would .. be … like good; and , uh it would make me FEEL BETTER.
Its really to bad that we elect official’s that have no moral’s.
Maybe they should pray and ask god to forgive there evil misguided ways.
As it states NO HOMOSEXUAL’S will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Congrats to Polis and a huge congrats to Colorado who has gone BLUE. When I moved here from Seattle several years ago, I was worried about living in a red state. I am thrilled that our demographic has changed and that the attitudes towards gays/lesbians is changing and that CO is showing that middle america can see sexual orientation as a “non-issue” in an election. I am heartbroken about other areas of the country like FL, AZ, and what appears to be CA, that they still can’t move this intristic part of our humanity and value each of us for exactly who we are.