who is jared polis
Jared Polis is the Democratic governor of Colorado and a longtime tech entrepreneur-turned-politician who has been a prominent figure in state and national politics since the early 2000s.
Quick Scoop: Who Is Jared Polis?
- Current role: Governor of Colorado since January 2019; he won reelection in 2022 to continue in that role.
- Party: Democratic Party, often described as a libertarian-leaning Democrat on some economic and civil-liberties issues.
- Historic firsts: One of the first openly gay men elected to Congress as a non-incumbent (2008) and the first openly gay man elected governor of a U.S. state (2018).
- Previous office: U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District from 2009 to 2019, after serving on the Colorado State Board of Education.
- Business background: Made his fortune in tech and online commerce, co‑founding several internet and e‑commerce companies and an online florist that later sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Public image: Known as a data‑driven, tech‑savvy, socially liberal but often fiscally cautious governor, active on issues like education, cannabis, and civil rights.
Mini Bio: From Tech Kid to Governor
Jared Polis was born in Boulder, Colorado, in 1975 and spent his high school years in San Diego before heading to Princeton University. While still in college, he co‑founded an internet access provider that became American Information Systems (AIS), which was later sold and helped launch his career as a young entrepreneur. In the late 1990s he co‑founded BlueMountain.com, a free e‑greeting card site, and ProFlowers, an online florist that grew into Provide Commerce and went public. These exits made him wealthy early, giving him the freedom to fund both political causes and education projects.
In forum discussions, people often frame Polis as “the rich tech guy who went into politics,” mixing admiration for his startup success with skepticism about his wealth and influence.
Political Career: Key Roles and Milestones
Early Political Moves
- Colorado State Board of Education (2001–2007): Polis first entered elected office on the state Board of Education, winning a six‑year term starting in 2001.
- During this period he became part of the so‑called “Gang of Four” — four wealthy Democratic donors credited with helping shift Colorado from reliably Republican toward Democratic control in the 2000s.
In Congress (2009–2019)
- U.S. House of Representatives: Elected in 2008 to represent Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District; he held the seat for five terms (through 2019), usually winning with comfortable margins.
- Ideological profile: Often described as a “libertarian Democrat,” he was the only Democratic member of the House Liberty Caucus, a group usually dominated by Republicans focused on civil liberties and limited government.
- Policy interests:
- Strong support for marijuana policy reform; he helped launch the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and cosponsored legislation like the Marijuana Justice Act.
* Advocacy on education, immigration reform, and technology/innovation issues, reflecting his business background.
Governor of Colorado (2019–present)
- First election (2018): Announced his run for governor in 2018 and won with about 53% of the vote, defeating Republican Walker Stapleton.
- Reelection (2022): Won a second term in 2022 against Republican Heidi Ganahl by a wider margin, reinforcing his position as one of the more electorally secure Democratic governors in a purple‑leaning state.
- Governance style:
- Projects himself as a pragmatic realist who wants to expand services and rights while respecting Colorado’s strict fiscal limits and taxpayer‑protection rules.
* Emphasizes protecting abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and cannabis legalization while promoting business growth and innovation.
During the pandemic era and beyond, forum users have often debated whether Polis balances public health with economic freedom better than other governors, with views splitting along party and urban–rural lines.
Business and Money: How He Made His Fortune
Polis’s public persona is tightly linked to his early tech and e‑commerce success.
- American Information Systems (AIS): College‑era internet provider that was sold in the late 1990s, giving him an early financial boost.
- BlueMountain.com: A free electronic greeting card site sold in 1999 to Excite@Home in a deal valued at hundreds of millions of dollars in stock and cash, significantly increasing his wealth.
- ProFlowers / Provide Commerce:
- Founded as an online florist in La Jolla, California, in 1998, later renamed Provide Commerce.
* Went public on NASDAQ in 2003 and was eventually sold for hundreds of millions (a reported $477 million sale for the ProFlowers/Provide Commerce business).
Polis has used portions of his fortune to fund Democratic campaigns, progressive organizations, and his own philanthropic ventures, which fuels both praise (as a generous donor) and criticism (as a wealthy “mega‑donor”) in online discussions.
Positions, Reputation, and Forum Talk
Policy Positions & Image
- Civil liberties and social issues: Strongly pro‑LGBTQ+ rights, supportive of same‑sex marriage, and a prominent example of an openly gay official in a high statewide office.
- Cannabis policy: One of the earlier mainstream politicians to fully embrace cannabis legalization and criminal‑justice reform around marijuana; as governor, he has issued pardons for low‑level marijuana possession convictions.
- Education: Founded charter schools such as the New America School and the Academy of Urban Learning, and runs the Jared Polis Foundation, which supports teachers and donates computers to schools and nonprofits.
- Economic/fiscal: Cast as relatively pro‑market and innovation‑friendly, with a preference for lower barriers to entrepreneurship but within a Democratic policy framework.
How People Talk About Him Online
Public forums and AMAs portray Polis as a bit of a nerd‑governor : someone who is openly into gaming, baseball, tech, and internet culture and who often responds directly to citizens in Reddit AMAs or social platforms. In those conversations, he also openly identifies as gay and Jewish and mentions hobbies like gardening, cooking, rock tumbling, collecting coins, and even being a “Swiftie,” which humanizes him to supporters and critics alike.
At the same time:
- Some commenters praise him as a data‑driven, responsive leader who engages with criticism instead of hiding from it.
- Others criticize him as part of an “oligarch” class of wealthy politicians or challenge specific stances (for example, how he frames controversial figures or topics in his social media posts).
These mixed reactions are typical of high‑profile politicians, but for Polis the combination of wealth, tech background, and social‑media presence tends to intensify the debate.
Snapshot Table: Jared Polis at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jared Polis (born 1975 in Boulder, Colorado) | [9][3]
| Current role | Governor of Colorado (since 2019, reelected 2022) | [1][10][3]
| Party | Democrat, often described as libertarian-leaning on some issues | [1][10]
| Historic milestones | First openly gay man elected governor of a U.S. state; earlier one of the first openly gay men elected to Congress as a non- incumbent | [3][5]
| Prior offices | U.S. Representative (CO-02, 2009–2019); Colorado State Board of Education (2001–2007) | [1][10][5][3]
| Business background | Co- founded AIS (internet provider), BlueMountain.com (e-cards), and ProFlowers/Provide Commerce (online florist), with multiple high-value exits | [9][5][7][3]
| Key policy areas | Cannabis reform, education, civil rights, innovation and tech-friendly economic policies | [10][5][7]
| Personal notes | Openly gay, Jewish, gamer, sports fan, hobbyist gardener and cook, active on Reddit AMAs and social media | [4][2]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.