Joe Neguse

Joseph D. Neguse (/nəˈɡuːs/ nə-GOOSE;[1][2] born May 13, 1984) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was a Regent of the University of Colorado from 2008 to 2015.[3] Neguse is the first Eritrean-American elected to the United States Congress and Colorado's first congressman of recent African descent.[4]

Joe Neguse
Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byDavid Cicilline (chair)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byJared Polis
Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
In office
June 2015 – June 2017
GovernorJohn Hickenlooper
Preceded byBarbara Kelley
Succeeded byMarguerite Salazar
Personal details
Born (1984-05-13) May 13, 1984
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Andrea Jimenez
Children1
EducationUniversity of Colorado Boulder (BA, JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life

Neguse's parents immigrated to the United States from Eritrea. They met while living in Bakersfield, California, where they married and had Joe and his younger sister.[5] The family moved to Colorado when he was six years old. After living in Aurora, Littleton, and Highlands Ranch, the family settled in Boulder.[6] Neguse graduated from ThunderRidge High School,[5] the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor's degree in political science and economics in 2005, and the University of Colorado Law School with his Juris Doctor in 2009.[7]

Earlier career

Neguse founded New Era Colorado, an organization to get young people involved in politics, while he was a student. He worked at the Colorado State Capitol as an assistant for Andrew Romanoff, while Romanoff was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives. Neguse was elected to the Regents of the University of Colorado, representing Colorado's 2nd congressional district in 2008, following nomination by the Democratic Party.[8]

Neguse ran for Secretary of State of Colorado in the 2014 elections.[9][10][11] He lost to Wayne W. Williams, 47.5% to 44.9%.[12] Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Neguse the executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) in June 2015.[13]

In 2017, Neguse resigned from DORA to run in the 2018 elections for the United States House of Representatives in Colorado's 2nd congressional district, seeking to succeed Jared Polis, who successfully ran for Governor of Colorado.[14] He also joined the law firm Snell & Wilmer, working in administrative law.[15]

U.S. House of Representatives

2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado § District 2

On June 13, 2017, Neguse announced he would run for the Democratic nomination after incumbent U.S. Representative Jared Polis announced he would not run for re-election and would run for Governor of Colorado.[16][17] In the June 26, 2018 Democratic primary–the real contest in this heavily Democratic district–Neguse faced businessman and former Boulder County Democratic Party chairman Mark Williams.[18] Neguse defeated Williams, receiving 65.7% of the votes and winning all 10 counties that encompass the district.[19][20]

Neguse went on to face Republican businessman Peter Yu. On November 6, 2018, Neguse defeated Yu, receiving 60.2% of the vote, and winning all but 2 counties in the district.[21][22] Upon election, Neguse became the first African-American to represent Colorado in the United States House of Representatives.[23][24]

Tenure

Neguse voted for the impeachment of Donald Trump in 2019.[25] In 2020, Neguse was named the most bipartisan member of the Colorado congressional delegation by the Lugar Center.[26]

On January 12, 2021, Neguse voted for the impeachment of Donald Trump for a second time, and was named as a House impeachment manager for the second impeachment of President Trump. [27]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Civil rights

He also supports the Equality Act.[25]

Racial equality

Neguse supports the Voting Rights Act and he co-sponsored the Emmett Till Antilynching Act.[25]

Climate change

Neguse calls climate change an "existential threat." Neguse has introduced legislation to create an expansion of the Civilian Conservation Corps to focus on forest management and wildfire mitigation.[26] Neguse opposed the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. He supports the Green New Deal.[28]

Drugs

He supports the national legalization of cannabis.[28]

Energy

He supports efforts to increase fuel efficiency and federal incentives for renewable energy use.[28]

Environment

Neguse supports endangered wildlife protections, including sponsoring bills to support wildlife protections on the South Platte River. He also wants to expand the size of Arapaho National Forest.[25]

Health care

Neguse supports Medicare for All and a universal health care. He also supports mandatory coverage of pre-existing conditions and opposes repealing the Affordable Care Act.[28]

COVID-19

He supports the national expansion of COVID-19 testing and voted in support of stimulus funding related to the pandemic. Neguse opposed the Trump administration's decision to leave the World Health Organization during the COVID-19 pandemic.[28]

Government reform
Elections and voting rights

He supports national mail-in voting.[28] Neguse also supports the Voting Rights Act and has introduced legislation to allow young people ages 16 and 17 to preregister to vote.[25]

Gun law

Neguse supports universal background checks and believes there are limitations in the Second Amendment.[28]

Immigration

Neguse supports a pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the US and the DREAM Act.[28][25]

Military

He opposes increased military spending.[28]

Law enforcement

Neguse supports police reform.[28]

Taxes

He opposes the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[28]

Electoral history
Democratic primary results, Colorado 2018[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Neguse 76,829 65.74%
Democratic Mark Williams 40,044 34.26%
Total votes 116,873 100%
Colorado's 2nd congressional district results, 2018[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Neguse 259,608 60.27%
Republican Peter Yu 144,901 33.64%
Independent Nick Thomas 16,356 3.80%
Libertarian Roger Barris 9,749 2.26%
Write-in 151 0.03%
Total votes 430,765 100%
Democratic hold
Colorado's 2nd congressional district results, 2020[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Neguse (incumbent) 316,925 61.5%
Republican Charles Winn 182,547 35.4%
Libertarian Thom Atkinson 13,657 2.6%
Unity Gary Swing 2,534 0.5%
Total votes 515,663 100%
Democratic hold

Personal life

Neguse is married to Andrea Jimenez.[32] The couple met in Boulder County.[25] Their daughter[26] was born in August 2018.[4][33] They live in Lafayette, Colorado.[34]

See also

References
  1. "Rep. Joe Neguse on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  2. "Rep. Joe Neguse on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  3. The Human Limits of Human Capital: An Overview of Noncompete Agreements and Best Practices for Protecting Trade Secrets from Unlawful Misappropriation
  4. "Parents' Journey Inspired US Congress' 1st Eritrean-American". VOA. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  5. Swinnerton, Jamie (June 19, 2014). "Joe Neguse -- "I go by Joe" -- on his run for Secretary of State". Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  6. Michael Roberts (August 31, 2018). "Joe Neguse Interview About Colorado Second District Congressional Run 2018". Westword. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  7. "2008 Candidate Profile: Joseph Neguse, Democrat". Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  8. "Neguse, Fitz-Gerald assembly winners – Boulder Daily Camera". Dailycamera.com. July 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  9. Daily, Boulder (June 24, 2013). "CU Regent Joe Neguse seeks Democratic nod for secretary of state – The Denver Post". Denverpost.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  10. "Democrat Joe Neguse files for SoS – Colorado Politics". Coloradostatesman.com. June 27, 2013. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  11. Lynn Bartels (April 10, 2014). "Joe Neguse, son of immigrants, runs for Colorado secretary of state". Blogs.denverpost.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  12. "GOP sweeps statewide seats for second election in a row – Colorado Politics". Coloradostatesman.com. November 7, 2014. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  13. "Secretary Williams touts one-time rival, Joe Neguse, for cabinet post – Lynn Bartels on SOS.state.co.us". bartels-on.sos.state.co.us. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  14. Matthews, Mark K. (June 13, 2017). "Joe Neguse declares run for Jared Polis' seat in Congress – The Denver Post". Denverpost.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  15. Paul, Jesse (August 29, 2017). "Joe Neguse joins Denver law office of Snell & Wilmer". Denverpost.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  16. "Joe Neguse declares run for Jared Polis' seat in Congress". The Denver Post. June 13, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  17. "Neguse resigning as DORA executive director, running for Congress". Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  18. "Congressional candidates want Medicare for all and to impeach Trump. Money divides them". Coloradoan. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  19. "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  20. "Colorado Primary Election Results: Second House District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  21. "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  22. "Colorado Election Results: Second House District". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  23. "Joe Neguse Becomes First African-American To Represent Colorado In Congress". November 6, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  24. "Joe Neguse wins 2nd Congressional District seat, becomes Colorado's 1st black congressman". The Denver Post. November 7, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  25. "Joe Neguse". Colorado Encyclopedia. July 6, 2020.
  26. Marmaduke, Jacy (October 14, 2020). "Colorado Congressional election: Q&A with U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse". The Coloradoan.
  27. "Pelosi Names Impeachment Managers". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  28. "Colorado CD2 2020: Rep. Joe Neguse, Charlie Winn On The Issues". Colorado Public Radio. October 12, 2020.
  29. "2018 Colorado Democratic primary election results". Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  30. "2018 Colorado general election results". Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  31. "2020 General Election - Official Compiled Results". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  32. Roy, Lisa (January 12, 2020). "Joseph (Joe) Neguse (1984- ) •".
  33. "2nd Congressional District candidates meet in quest to replace Jared Polis". Broomfield Enterprise. August 29, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  34. Lundquist, Paulette (November 28, 2018). "Neguse". TheHill.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jared Polis		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Colorado's 2nd congressional district
2019–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Carol Miller		 United States Representatives by seniority
339th		 Succeeded by
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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