Joe Neguse | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| House Assistant Democratic Leader | |
| Assumed office March 20, 2024 | |
| Leader | Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | Jim Clyburn |
| Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – March 20, 2024 | |
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | David Cicilline |
| Succeeded by | Debbie Dingell |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Jared Polis |
| Executive Director of theColorado Department of Regulatory Agencies | |
| In office June 2015 – June 2017 | |
| Governor | John Hickenlooper |
| Preceded by | Barbara Kelley |
| Succeeded by | Marguerite Salazar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1984-05-13)May 13, 1984 (age 41) Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Andrea Jimenez |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Colorado, Boulder (BA,JD) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Joseph D. Neguse (/nəˈɡuːs/nə-GOOSS;[1][2] born May 13, 1984) is an American lawyer and politician serving as theU.S. representative forColorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019. The district is based inBoulder and includes many ofDenver's northwestern suburbs, as well asFort Collins. A member of theDemocratic Party, he was aregent of the University of Colorado from 2008 to 2015.[3] Neguse is the firstEritrean-American elected to theUnited States Congress and Colorado's first black member of Congress.[4] Neguse has served asHouse assistant Democratic leader since 2024.[5]
The Center for Effective Lawmaking, at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia, ranked him as the second-most effective House Democrat in the 119th Congress (2023–25).[6]
Neguse's parents immigrated to the United States fromEritrea.[7] They met while living inBakersfield, California, where they married and had Joe and his younger sister.[8] The family moved to Colorado when he was six years old. After living inAurora,Littleton, andHighlands Ranch, the family settled inBoulder.[9] Neguse graduated fromThunderRidge High School.[8] He then graduated from theUniversity of Colorado Boulder, where he served as student body president,[10] with abachelor's degree inpolitical science andeconomicssumma cum laude in 2005 and then from theUniversity of Colorado Law School, with hisJuris Doctor in 2009.[11]
While he was a student, Neguse founded New Era Colorado, an organization to get young people involved in politics. He worked at theColorado State Capitol as an assistant toAndrew Romanoff when Romanoff was a member of theColorado House of Representatives. In 2008 Neguse was elected to theRegents of the University of Colorado, representingColorado's 2nd congressional district,[12] becoming the second African American in Colorado history to serve on the Board of Regents.
Neguse ran forSecretary of State of Colorado in2014,[13][14][15] losing toWayne W. Williams, 47.5% to 44.9%.[16] In June 2015,GovernorJohn Hickenlooper appointed Neguse the executive director of theColorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA),[17] making him one of the youngest state cabinet officials in the country.
At DORA, Neguse led an agency with roughly 600 employees and a $100 million budget charged with protecting consumers across the state by regulating the financial securities and insurance industries.
In 2017, Neguse resigned from DORA to run in the2018 elections for theUnited States House of Representatives in Colorado's 2nd congressional district, seeking to succeedJared Polis, who successfully ran forgovernor of Colorado.[18] He also joined the law firmSnell & Wilmer, working inadministrative law.[19]
On June 13, 2017, Neguse announced he would run for the Democratic nomination after incumbent U.S. representativeJared Polis announced he would not run for reelection and would run forgovernor of Colorado.[20][21] In the June 26, 2018, Democratic primary—the real contest in this heavily Democratic district—Neguse faced businessman and formerBoulder County Democratic Party chairman Mark Williams.[22] Neguse defeated Williams with 65.7% of the vote, winning all 10 counties in the district.[23][24]
Neguse then defeated the Republican nominee, businessman Peter Yu, in the November 6 general election, receiving 60.2% of the vote, and winning all but two counties.[25][26] Neguse became the first Black American to represent Colorado in the House.[27][28]
He was reelected in 2020 with 61.5% of the vote, defeating Republican Charles Winn.[29]
Neguse was reelected in 2022 with 70.7% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Marshall Dawson.[30]
Neguse was reelected in 2024 with 68.4% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Marshall Dawson in a rematch.[31]
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Shortly after his election to the House, Neguse was elected by his House colleagues to serve in House leadership as the co-freshman representative.[32]
Neguse voted for theimpeachment of Donald Trump in 2019.[33] In 2020, he was named the most bipartisan member of the Colorado congressional delegation by theLugar Center.[34]
In November 2020, Neguse's House colleagues unanimously elected him to serve as a co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, the number eight position in House Democratic leadership.[35] In December 2022, he was elected chair, the fifth-highest position in the Democratic Party leadership.[36]
On January 12, 2021, Speaker Pelosi appointed Neguse as aHouse impeachment manager (prosecutor) for Trump'ssecond impeachment trial, making him the youngest impeachment manager in U.S. history.[37][38] During the trial, Neguse and his fellow House impeachment managers built their case by drawing connections betweenTrump's false claims of election fraud in the 2020 election and theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack. In the end, the Senate voted to acquit Trump, but with seven Republican senators voting to convict, it was the most bipartisan impeachment trial in U.S. history.[39]
On March 20, 2024 Neguse was electedHouse assistant Democratic leader, succeedingJim Clyburn.[5]
For the118th Congress:[40]
Neguse supported theEquality Act.[33] He supports theVoting Rights Act of 1965 and has introduced legislation to allow people aged 16 and 17 to preregister to vote. He co-sponsored theEmmett Till Antilynching Act.[33] Neguse supports the national legalization ofcannabis.[47] Neguse supportsuniversal background checks and believes there are limitations to theSecond Amendment.[47]
Neguse has calledclimate change an "existential threat". He has introduced legislation to create an expansion of theCivilian Conservation Corps to focus on forest management and wildfire mitigation.[34] Neguse opposed the Trump administration's withdrawal from theParis Agreement. He supports theGreen New Deal.[47] He supports efforts to increasefuel efficiency and federal incentives for renewable energy use.[47] Neguse supportsendangered wildlife protections, including sponsoring bills to support wildlife protections on theSouth Platte River. He also supports expanding the size ofArapaho National Forest.[33]
Neguse opposed theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[47] He opposes increased military spending.[47]
Neguse supportsMedicare for All anduniversal health care. He also supports mandatory coverage of preexisting conditions and opposes repealing theAffordable Care Act.[47] Neguse supports the national expansion of COVID-19 testing and voted in support of stimulus funding related to the pandemic. He opposed the Trump administration's decision to leave theWorld Health Organization during the pandemic.[47]
Neguse supports national mail-in voting.[47] He also supports theVoting Rights Act of 1965.[33]
The son of immigrants, Neguse supports immigration reform and serves as the vice chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. He supports a pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. and theDREAM Act.[47][33] He supportspolice reform.[47]
Neguse supports a prohibition on members of Congress trading in stocks.[48][49]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Neguse | 76,829 | 65.74% | |
| Democratic | Mark Williams | 40,044 | 34.26% | |
| Total votes | 116,873 | 100% | ||
| 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% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Neguse (incumbent) | 316,925 | 61.46% | |
| Republican | Charles Winn | 182,547 | 35.40% | |
| Libertarian | Thom Atkinson | 13,657 | 2.65% | |
| Unity | Gary Swing | 2,534 | 0.49% | |
| Total votes | 515,663 | 100% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Neguse (incumbent) | 244,107 | 69.98% | |
| Republican | Marshall Dawson | 97,770 | 28.01% | |
| Colorado Center Party | Steve Yurash | 2,876 | 0.82% | |
| American Constitution | Gary L. Nation | 2,188 | 0.63% | |
| Unity | Tim Wolf | 1,968 | 0.56% | |
| Total votes | 348,839 | 100% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Neguse (incumbent) | 284,994 | 68.36% | ||
| Republican | Marshall Dawson | 120,633 | 28.94% | ||
| Libertarian | Gaylon Kent | 5,180 | 1.24% | ||
| Unity | Cynthia Munhos de Aquino Sirianni | 3,744 | 0.90% | ||
| Approval Voting | Jan Kok | 2,349 | 0.56% | ||
| Write-in | 8 | 0.00% | |||
| Total votes | 416,908 | 100% | |||
| Democratichold | |||||
Neguse is married to Andrea Jimenez Rael.[55] They met inBoulder County.[33] Their daughter[34] was born in August 2018 and their son in May 2023.[56][4][57] They live inLafayette, east of Boulder.[58]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forSecretary of State of Colorado 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | House Assistant Democratic Leader 2024–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's 2nd congressional district 2019–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 219th | Succeeded by |
