Fresh Approach (and Money) Get Polis Into Office

It turns out money can buy you a seat in congress. Well when that includes an honest, fresh approach to politics.

Jared Polis, the Internet multimillionaire, won the Democratic nominee Tuesday, all but assuring him the Second Congressional District seat in the general election in November. (The district is centered in Boulder, where Republicans stand as much of a chance of winning as Ward Churchill does getting his job back at CU.)

Polis win (he took 41 percent of the vote, former state Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald took 37 percent and conservationist Will Shafroth, 20 percent) proved two things:

Voters don’t mind that Polis spent a Colorado record $5.3 million of his own cash in the campaign, and voters are a little tired of career politicians.

On paper, Fitz-Gerald should have won this race. She was the first woman to serve as senate majority leader in Colorado, has a track record of serving Democrats through her work in the Colorado legislature, and had name recognized among party leaders.

Polis had little political experience, save for six years served on the state board of education, boat loads of money from internet success, and a fresh perspective on serving in Washington that resonated with voters. When you count the votes for Shafroth, who had even less political experience, the district’s voters overwhelmingly back candidates who were short on resumes and long on ideas.

We endorsed Polis last month for this very reason and are happy to see the 33-year-old (likely) heading to D.C.

Polis is heavily favored to win the general election due to the district’s Democratic-leaning electorate over Republican Scott Starin, Unity Party candidate Bill Hammons and Green Party rep J.A. Calhoun.