Joe Neguse


Joseph D. Neguse 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. Neguse is the first Eritrean-American elected to the United States Congress and Colorado's first congressman of African descent.

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. The family moved to Colorado when he was six years old. After living in Aurora, Littleton, and Highlands Ranch, the family settled in Boulder. Neguse graduated from ThunderRidge High School, 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.

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 in 2008, following nomination by the Democratic Party.
Neguse ran for Secretary of State of Colorado in the 2014 elections. He lost to Wayne W. Williams, 47.5% to 44.9%. Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Neguse the executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies in June 2015.
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. He also joined the law firm Snell & Wilmer, working in administrative law.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018 general election

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. 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. Neguse defeated Williams, receiving 65.7% of the votes and winning all 10 counties that encompass the district.
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. Upon election, Neguse became the first African-American to represent Colorado in the United States House of Representatives.

Tenure

Committee assignments

Personal life

Neguse and his wife, Andrea, had their first child in August 2018. Andrea Neguse is of Hispanic descent. Neguse is also the first Eritrean American to serve in Congress.