Colorado’s Jared Polis succeeding Hickenlooper as governor

Colorado politics take a formal shift to the left with Tuesday’s gubernatorial inauguration of Jared Polis.

The Democrat’s overwhelming election victory and his party’s consolidation of legislative control promise ambitious changes to energy regulation, health care and state-funded early childhood education.

Polis is a wealthy tech and education entrepreneur and former five-term congressman from Boulder.

He succeeds Gov. John Hickenlooper, a centrist Democrat, former Denver mayor, petroleum geologist and beer pub entrepreneur who served the maximum two terms.

Polis trounced then-state treasurer Walker Stapleton in November and became the nation’s first openly gay governor.

That played no role in the campaign, with health care and President Donald Trump the top issues for Colorado voters.

But Tuesday’s inauguration was being celebrated by LGBTQ advocates nationwide.