Michael Bennet
Democratic Party
How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?
There’s a clear difference between me and my opponent and the experience we bring to this race. I’m the only candidate in the race who has worked in the private sector to turn around failing businesses and create jobs, providing me with a clear insight into today’s economy and what we need to do to ensure good-paying jobs stay in Colorado.
I’m also the only candidate who has turned around broken budgets, serving as Chief-of-Staff to then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to help fix the city’s budget problems and protect the services our residents deserved.
And again, I’m the only candidate who has served as a school superintendent and has a deep understanding of what our students and teachers are up against. I ran Denver Public Schools where we drove historic student success and found a way to actually pay our teachers what they deserve.
In the Senate, I’ve built deep relationships with every corner of our state to bring home billions of dollars for key projects, pass the Child Tax Credit which cut childhood poverty in half, and hold Trump’s ICE accountable.
These unique experiences have equipped me to be able to not just take on Donald Trump’s lawlessness but actually make the hard decisions to deliver real results for Colorado families.
What are your top policy priorities?
My top priority is to tackle the cost-of-living crisis head on and do the hard work of moving Colorado forward. My wife Susan and I raised our three girls here – and I want them to build their lives here, too. But for too many people, that’s getting harder. Costs are too high. Families and businesses are being pushed out. Our budget is in crisis. And Donald Trump is doing everything he can to make things worse. He’s sending masked agents into our communities, attacking Colorado day in and day out, and trampling over the rule of law.
As Governor, I will work with Colorado to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the very top. That means ensuring no Coloradan has to pay more than 30% of their income on housing, launching a real public option for health care to drive costs down, starting an economy-wide cap-and-invest program to hold corporations accountable, and making sure our public education system is giving students the skills they need to enter the middle class.
What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it?
As Governor, I will ensure improving our education system is a top priority for our state. In Colorado, students receive fewer school days on average than other states, students are dealing with mental health challenges, and graduates are struggling to find a job that pays the bills after they graduate. I’m the only candidate who has served as a school superintendent, and I know that together, we .
As your next Governor, I will ensure we work to actually pay educators what they deserve, we’ll connect education more closely to work so every graduate has the skills they need to earn a living wage, and we’ll prioritize reading and math growth for every student.
I’m also the only candidate in this race who has called for a bell-to-bell ban on cell phones and social media in schools to help protect our kids’ mental health and ensure school is serving our students in the best way possible.
