Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) is running for governor in 2018. Image by Getty Images

Democratic Rep. Jared Polis will be the first Jewish and gay governor of Colorado.

Polis, a former tech mogul, will succeed John Hickenlooper. With 60% of the vote counted, Polis was leading 51.2%-45.4%.

The five-term congressman was the first openly gay person elected to Congress, according to the Forward. His campaign focused on renewable energy, education (he is a vocal supporter of charter schools), income inequality and cannabis advocacy. Polis cofounded the House Cannabis Caucus last year and has introduced bills that would regulate marijuana like alcohol.

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He is also one of the wealthiest members of Congress — he founded an internet access provider while he was still a student at Princeton, which he sold for $23 million in 1998. A year later, he helped sell his family’s online greeting-card company for a whopping $780 million.

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

JTA also contributed to this report.

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