Denver, Colo. – Governor Jared Polis declared his candidacy for a second term as the 43rd Governor of Colorado today, Tuesday, February 15, releasing a launch video alongside his running mate Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera.
“It’s been a heavy challenge to lead the state through it’s darkest hours, including pandemic and fires, and it has also been an honor to dedicate myself to helping Coloradans make it through many crises,” Gov. Polis said. “The last two years have taught me that leadership and judgment matter. I am proud of the work we have done to save thousands of lives while keeping our schools and economy open. We have hard work ahead. We will protect Colorado’s way of life, lowering the cost of living and making sure Colorado families have more opportunities ahead. Together, we will keep moving Colorado forward.”
As a Coloradan raisinghis two young kids here, Gov. Polis is focused on doing what is right for Colorado. With steady leadership and hard work together with Coloradans, the state has experienced one of the lowest death rates, shortest shut downs, highest vaccination rates and quickest economic recoveries in the nation.
Today, Colorado’s unemployment rate is steadily decreasing, the state is topping the list of strongest recovering U.S. state economies, and we are charting our own path to a better future.
“The Governor and I are grateful to the people of Colorado for their partnership through unprecedented challenges and for their support now,” Lt. Gov. Primavera said. “We love Colorado. We will always fight to do what is best for Coloradans.”
The campaign announced over 300 endorsements – including 100 business leaders – throughout Colorado. This significant trust and support of Governor Polis and Lt. Gov Primavera to deliver on their commitments and vision for Colorado’s future shows the strong statewide momentum behind this re-election campaign.
Tonight, Gov. Polis and Lt. Gov. Primavera will kick off their re-election campaign and four-day statewide tour in Pueblo, Colorado – where it all started nearly four and a half years ago. Since taking office in 2019, Gov. Polis and Lt. Gov Primavera have been delivering on their commitments to Colorado including:
- Saving small businesses and Coloradans thousands of dollars by permanently eliminating personal property taxes, increasing the state earned income tax credit and child tax credit, reducing the assessment rate on homes, reducing the income tax, and eliminating state taxes on social security for seniors.
- Recovering the state’s economy including attracting and retaining tens of thousands of good jobs all while Colorado increased the state’s minimum wage and expanded earned paid leave.
- Lowering health care premiums by an average of 24% for individuals –cutting costs for Western Slope Coloradans about $2,500 per year. Colorado also started to cut the cost of prescriptions including capping insulin at $100 a month.
- Providing free, quality kindergarten for all four and five year olds, with 60,000 kindergartners already enrolled, saving their parents nearly $5,000 in a school year.
- Leading the country in the transformation towards low cost, renewable energy including transitioning to an 80 percent renewable energy power grid by 2030, accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, and creating the good, green jobs of the future right here in Colorado.
Building off of the administration’s work to save people money, Gov. Polis is focused on the hard work ahead to make Colorado more affordable, ensure that families and small businesses hold onto their hard-earned money, and keep Colorado a place where our kids will raise their families.
This will require growing good jobs, building more affordable housing, and providing better education opportunities and healthier communities throughout the state. With Gov. Polis’ proven, problem-solving approach and entrepreneurial spirit, he can get the job done.
Governor Polis is also tackling issues made worse by the pandemic urgently. In strong partnership with federal and local partners, Colorado will reduce violent and drug-related crime, get homeless connected with treatment, housing and jobs and provide financial relief anyway possible to counter the pressures of rising costs.
“Colorado has always been about moving forward, not turning back,” Gov. Polis says in the launch video. “I’ve never stopped working to build a better Colorado for generations to come. There’s more we can do to strengthen Colorado’s recovery, ensure Coloradans can hold on to more of their hard-earned money, make our families and communities healthier and safer, and create more opportunities for more people to get ahead.”
“This is our Colorado. I’ll never forget how lucky we are to live here, and raise our families here. I am proud to be your Governor and if you give me the chance to keep serving, I’ll show you Colorado’s best days are still ahead,” Gov. Polis said. Watch the launch video here
