Emily Gedeon, Emily.Gedeon@sierraclub.org, 720-308-6055
DENVER, CO - Tonight, Jared Polis (D) was overwhelmingly elected by Coloradans to serve as the next Governor of Colorado. Polis is the first gubernatorial candidate in Colorado’s history to run on a platform of driving the state toward a 100% renewable energy economy by 2040.
The Colorado Sierra Club was the first conservation group in the state to endorse Jared Polis for governor. Since the endorsement, the Colorado Sierra Club contacted more than one million Colorado voters through television, digital, mail, and organizing.
“Tonight, Colorado voters gave a clear vote of confidence to Jared Polis' bold, visionary and inclusive leadership to put Colorado on the path to 100% clean energy,” said Jim Alexee, Director of the Colorado Sierra Club. “The Colorado Sierra Club - with 100,000 members and supports across the state - threw our wholehearted support behind Jared Polis from the early days of his candidacy because of his leadership on climate and protection of public lands. As the Trump Administration rolls back critical pollution protections and tries to stifle our nation's clean energy leadership, the state of Colorado is moving forward with our clean energy future with Jared Polis as our Governor.”
Polis released detailed plans during the Democratic primary to make Colorado energy independent and 100% renewable by 2040 and to protect the outdoor spaces that power much of our economy. In Congress, he’s been a leader on environmental issues. As a founding member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, he introduced legislation to designate 90,000 acres of wilderness in Colorado’s high country, led the effort to cut fossil fuel subsidies, defended President Obama’s rules on methane, and partnered with environmentalists and ranchers to protect the Sage Grouse’s habitat.
"The Sierra Club was proud to support Jared Polis throughout this race and we are thrilled to congratulate him on this victory, “ said Michael Brune, National Sierra Club Executive Director. “Coloradans made a clear choice in this election to support Jared Polis because he will defend Colorado values from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope. Jared will lead Colorado to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2040, and work to build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.