Colorado Congressman Jared Polis made history Tuesday night by becoming the first openly gay man to be elected governor of a U.S. state.

A five-term member of Congress, Polis, a Democrat, beat his Republican rival Walter Stapleton by six points.

Polis’ historic milestone came amid a night of other groundbreaking electoral moments. Polis joins Oregon Gov. Kate Brown as the second LGBTQ person to be voted a state governor. Brown, who identifies as bisexual, took office in 2015.

Polis took 51.6% of the vote, with 84% of precincts reporting, after a campaign during which he championed progressive causes such as universal healthcare, renewable energy expansion and gun violence prevention.

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The win is particularly significant in light of Colorado’s reputation as a “Hate State” — a moniker activists gave it after voters there passed a constitutional amendment in 1992 to prevent the creation of protections for the LGBTQ community.

Polis has been open about his sexuality throughout his political career and before he was first elected to Congress in 2009. On the campaign trail, he emphasized his campaign’s distinction from the less “inclusive” tone of the Republican leadership.

“I think it really gives Colorado an opportunity to stick a thumb in the eye of Mike Pence,” he told state democrats in a June speech , “whose view of America is not as inclusive as where America is today.”

Mary Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, a nationwide organization that supports LGBTQ candidates, told the Denver Post of Polis’ victory: “The fact that the state of Colorado, in 25 years, has gone from being dubbed the ‘Hate State’ to a place that can elect someone who is not just openly gay, but publicly gay, that’s historic.”

Correction Nov. 7

The original version of this story misstated the name of Jared Polis’ Republican rival. He is Walker Stapleton, not Walter Stapleton.

Write to Ciara Nugent at ciara.nugent@time.com.</s>First openly gay person elected governor in US

LOS ANGELES: Democratic Congressman Jared Polis has won the governor´s race in Colorado, US networks projected on Tuesday, making him the first openly gay person to be elected governor in the United States.

The five-term congressman, 43, who defeated Republican Walker Stapleton, was open about his sexual orientation during the campaign, often referring to it in his criticism of President Donald Trump.

Kate Brown became the first bisexual governor when she was elected in Oregon in 2015, while another governor, Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, came out as gay before resigning in 2004.

But Polis is the first openly gay candidate to be elected governor.

He will succeed Democrat John Hickenlooper, who has been in office since 2011.

A self-made millionaire and tech entrepreneur, Polis was admitted to Princeton at age 16 and has said that he set his sights on becoming governor when he was in college.

Polis, who is Jewish, switched his name from Jared Schultz to Jared Polis at age 25 to honor his grandmother, he has said.</s>Colorado Democrat Jared Polis will be the first openly gay man elected governor in United States history—and only the second out LGBT person to win a gubernatorial election.

Late Tuesday night, the Associated Press called Polis’ victory over Republican opponent Walker Stapleton, who is currently serving as the state’s treasurer.

For LGBT advocates, this is a milestone that has been years in the making.

“Generations of LGBTQ advocates have dreamed of the moment when voters would overcome tired stereotypes and elect an openly gay man who stands proudly with his partner and family—and this is that moment,” Victory Fund president and former Houston Mayor Annise Parker said in a statement.

Polis is an entrepreneur and current U.S. House representative for Colorado’s second district, where he has been serving since 2009.

He and his same-sex partner Marlon Reis have had two children while Polis was in political office, making him the first openly LGBT parent in Congress, as ABC News reported in 2011.

The Polis campaign did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment on the victory. But via Twitter, Polis said, “Tonight, we reaffirm what makes Colorado the amazing state that it is. Here, we dream, we dare, and we do. We embrace big ideas and we work sun-up to sundown to make them realities. We see the highest mountains and we climb them. We face the tough decisions and we solve them.”

LGBT political representation at the gubernatorial level has been sparse so far.

Oregon Democrat Kate Brown, who is openly bisexual, took office in 2015 after her predecessor resigned while facing corruption allegations. Brown won a 2016 special election, making her not only the first openly bisexual person elected governor but also the first out LGBT person to win at that level nationwide. (Brown was also up for re-election Tuesday night and her race had not yet been called at the time Polis was projected to win.)

The only other openly gay man to briefly serve as governor, however briefly, was former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey, who came out as “a gay American” in an August 2004 press conference after former aide Golan Cipel prepared a sexual harassment lawsuit.

McGreevey resigned in that very press conference—but he did not officially leave office until September of that year.

Victory Fund, a nonpartisan advocacy group that works to elect LGBT candidates, believes that Polis’ groundbreaking win will have a nationwide impact.

“Jared shattered a lavender ceiling in Colorado, but its effect will extend well-beyond the state’s borders,” Parker said in a statement, noting that just 25 years ago Colorado was dubbed a “hate state” by boycotters of an anti-LGBT amendment.

“Colorado has undergone a transformation that parallels the changing attitudes in the country at large,” she noted.

But it remains to be seen whether those changing attitudes leads to more LGBT governors.

Besides Polis and Brown, two other openly LGBT people ran for governor this cycle.

In Vermont, Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman and former energy company executive, won the Democratic primary but lost Tuesday night to Republican incumbent Phil Scott. And in Texas, out lesbian sheriff Lupe Valdez lost to Republican incumbent Greg Abbott on Tuesday night.

Still, though, LGBT advocates are finding plenty to celebrate in Polis’ win. In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin called Polis a “bold pro-equality champion,” citing his longstanding record in support of LGBT rights.

One of Polis’ major LGBT accomplishments was sponsoring the Student Non-Discrimination Act, a proposed piece of federal legislation that would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in public schools.

Polis introduced the bill in 2011 and although it has not yet passed, Polis continued to make education a cornerstone of his career and political campaigning. He re-introduced the SNDA again as recently as this March.

“For nearly a decade in Congress, Jared Polis fought to advance fairness and equality in Colorado and across America,” said Griffin. “He is a proven leader who will take his commitment to securing full equality to the governor’s mansion and fight to make Colorado a stronger and more inclusive state.”</s>In Colorado, Jared Polis Becomes First Openly Gay Elected Governor

Voters in Colorado have made Jared Polis the nation's first openly gay elected governor. Polis speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about his plans while he's in office.</s>COLORADO – Democratic US Rep. Jared Polis will be Colorado’s next governor, becoming the nation’s first openly gay man elected to a governor’s mansion, CNN has projected.

Polis will succeed Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is term-limited from seeking the office again, and will defeat Republican gubernatorial nominee Walker Stapleton.

Oregon Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, who identifies as bisexual, is already the first openly LGBT person to be elected governor. Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey came out as gay before he stepped down from office in the early 2000s.

Polis was one of several LGBT candidates who ran for governor this cycle, along with Brown in Oregon, Vermont Democrat Christine Hallquist and Texas Democrat Lupe Valdez.

The historic first for Polis means Democrats will retain the governor’s mansion in Colorado and the LGBT community will secure rare representation at the statewide level.

Polis is no stranger to the distinction, having become the first openly gay man elected to the House as a freshman in 2008.

During his gubernatorial bid, Polis has pushed for universal health care, free early childhood education and progressing Colorado to a 100% renewable energy state.

As a freshman, Polis and his spouse Marlon Reis wrote about their experience as a same sex couple in Congress — years before same sex marriage was legalized at the federal level.</s>Sharice Davids Makes History as First Native American Elected to Congress, First LGBTQ Kansas Lawmaker

Jared Polis has defeated Walker Stapleton to win Colorado’s gubernatorial race and he’s the nation’s first openly gay man to be elected governor. Polis has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2009 and will succeed Democrat John Hickenlooper as governor.</s>Colorado Democratic US Rep. Jared Polis will be his state’s next governor, becoming the nation’s first openly gay man elected to a governor’s mansion.

Polis will succeed Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is term-limited from seeking the office again, after defeating Republican gubernatorial nominee Walker Stapleton on Tuesday.

“Generations of LGBTQ advocates have dreamed of the moment when voters would overcome tired stereotypes and elect an openly gay man who stands proudly with his partner and family — and this is that moment,” said former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “Colorado has undergone a transformation that parallels the changing attitudes in the country at large.

“In just 25 years, Colorado went from being labeled a ‘hate state’ for its anti-LGBTQ voter-approved ballot initiative to becoming the first state in the nation to elect an openly gay governor,” Parker added. “This is the evolution we will fight for in states all throughout the country — both red and blue — because we know voters are ready to support authentic, values-driven LGBTQ candidates who speak to the issues that matter most. Jared shattered a lavender ceiling in Colorado, but its effect will extend well-beyond the state’s borders.”

Oregon Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, who identifies as bisexual, is already the first openly LGBTQ person to be elected governor. Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey came out as gay before he stepped down from office in the early 2000s.

Polis was one of several LGBTQ candidates who ran for governor this cycle, along with Brown in Oregon, Vermont Democrat Christine Hallquist and Texas Democrat Lupe Valdez.

The historic first for Polis means Democrats will retain the governor’s mansion in Colorado and the LGBTQ community will secure rare representation at the statewide level.

Polis is no stranger to the distinction, having become the first openly gay man elected to the House as a freshman in 2008.

During his gubernatorial bid, Polis has pushed for universal health care, free early childhood education and progressing Colorado to a 100 percent renewable energy state.

As a freshman, Polis and his spouse Marlon Reis wrote about their experience as a same sex couple in Congress — years before same sex marriage was legalized at the federal level.</s>Democratic candidate Jared Polis was projected to make American history Tuesday night likely becoming the first openly gay man to be elected as a U.S. governor. At the time of this reporting, Polis held approximately 51 per cent of the vote against Republican opponent Walker Stapleton’s 45 per cent.

Going up against Stapleton, the state treasurer for Colorado, to fill outgoing Gov. John Hickenlooper’s seat, Polis won the primary election with approximately 44 per cent of the vote. He’s served five terms as a Congressman in Colorado

He and his partner Marlon Reis are the fathers of two young children and previously told CNN about their experience as a same-sex couple on Capitol Hill in 2009. In addition, Polis is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, having founded several successful companies including the florist site Proflowers.com and online greeting card creator Bluemountain.com.

Originally from Boulder, Polis’ first election win came in 2000 when he was voted into the Colorado State Board of Education. He was elected to represent Colorado’s Second Congressional District in 2008.

Since then, he’s emerged as one of the most pro-cannabis politicians in Washington, CNN reports, as he advocated last year for decriminalizing marijuana and removing the substance as a Schedule 1 drug last year.

READ MORE: Midterm election results could put the USMCA in jeopardy, which isn’t good for Canada: experts

He campaigned for the governorship on universal free healthcare, free kindergarten and preschool, and movements towards a 100 per cent renewable energy state.

Polis has told ABC that while being an openly gay governor puts him in the history books, he doesn’t think it’s unusual in a state like Colorado.

“Colorado is a ground-breaking state,” said Polis. “We’ve had LGBT speakers in our state assembly, Senate minority leaders, commissioners.”

In most polls leading up to the vote, Polis was projected to take at least 45 per cent of the vote to win the election. In the most recent polls cited by FiveThirtyEight, Polis held double-digit leads over Stapleton among women, unaffiliated voters and voters under 40.

Throughout the campaign, ABC reports that Polis has talked frequently about lowering the cost of early childhood education and how his opponent, if elected, would simply be a “yes-man” for the president.

He’s also talked often of electing diverse leaders to public office who are “fully representative of the people they’re elected to work for,” he told ABC.

“That means we should have our communities of colour represented, women represented, the LGBTQ community represented. And the more diversity we have in elected leadership, responsible positions, I think the better result we’ll have,” he continued.

READ MORE: 2018 U.S. midterms: The most outlandish political attack ads of this campaign

He’s one of a handful of LGBTQ candidates running in these midterm elections. Vermont’s Democratic candidate for governor, Christine Hallquist, is the first transgender woman to be a major party’s candidate for governor. Gov. Kate Brown, who’s up for re-election in Oregon, became the first openly bisexual person to serve as a state’s governor.

Following his victory, the LGBTQ Victory Fund, an American political action committee dedicated to having more LBGTQ-identifying candidates elected to public office, issued a statement by the president of the fund, Mayor Annise Parker.

“This is the evolution we will fight for in states all throughout the country – both red and blue – because we know voters are ready to support authentic, values-driven LGBTQ candidates who speak to the issues that matter most. Jared shattered a lavender ceiling in Colorado, but its effect will extend well-beyond the state’s borders,” she said in the statement.,</s>BOULDER, Nov 7 — Democratic Congressman Jared Polis will be the new governor of the western state of Colorado, US news networks ABC and NBC projected this morning, after he defeated Republican Walker Stapleton.

Five-term congressman Polis is the first openly gay man to win a gubernatorial race.

Kate Brown became the first bisexual governor when she was elected in Oregon in 2015, while another governor, Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, came out as gay before resigning in 2004. — AFP</s>Democratic Congressman Jared Polis has won the governor's race in Colorado, networks projected on Tuesday, making him the first openly gay person to be elected as a US governor.

The five-term congressman, 43, who defeated Republican Walker Stapleton, was open about his sexual orientation during the campaign, often referring to it in his criticism of President Donald Trump.

Kate Brown became the first bisexual governor when she was elected in Oregon in 2015, while another governor, Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, came out as gay before resigning in 2004.

But Polis is the first openly gay candidate to be elected governor.

He will succeed Democrat John Hickenlooper, who has been in office since 2011.

A self-made millionaire and tech entrepreneur, Polis was admitted to Princeton University at age 16. And he has said that he set his sights on becoming governor when he was in college.

Polis, who is Jewish, switched his name from Jared Schultz to Jared Polis at age 25 to honor his grandmother, he has said.

He was one of hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates in the midterm elections, including 21 for Congress and four for governor.

"LGBTQ candidates are running for office in unprecedented numbers and in every state in the nation -- and it is already inspiring more LGBTQ people to run in the near future," Annise Parker, president of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, a nonpartisan group, said ahead of the elections. "This rainbow wave of candidates is certainly concentrated in blue states and districts, but LGBTQ leaders in conservative parts of the nation are standing up and determined to become public servants while remaining true to who they are.

"The struggles and experiences of LGBTQ candidates provide a unique perspective that makes them authentic, values-driven leaders, and it is increasingly resonating with voters.”

Polis's win comes as members of the LGBTQ community have faced mounting attacks since Donald Trump was elected president.

Those include an effort by the Trump administration to change the legal definition of gender that would effectively reverse some transgender rights put in place by president Barack Obama.

Polis ran on a progressive platform that called for affordable health care, stricter gun laws and more investment in renewable energy.
Jared Polis becomes the first openly gay person and second openly LGBT person elected as a governor in the United States.