One of the state's most liberal districts is staying in Democratic hands after Joseph Neguse beat Republican challenger Peter Yu to fill the seat left open by Jared Polis. Neguse is the first black Congressman from Colorado.
Polis decided to run for Colorado's governor, leaving the seat open for the first time since 2009. The district encompasses Boulder, Gilpin, Grand, Summit, Clear Creek and parts of Jefferson and Eagle counties. The district is firmly Democratic, according to the Cook Political Report.
Neguse is the son of African refugees and has lived in the 2nd District for the last 15 years, according to his campaign site. His parents fled Eritrea in east Africa and came to the U.S. as refugees, eventually settling in Colorado. He attended the University of Colorado-Boulder and started working for then-Speaker of the Colorado House Andrew Romanoff.
He served as a regent at CU and then was named to the state's consumer protection agency. He said he felt compelled to run because of his family history and his belief that Americans should be represented by people from all walks of life.
His opponent, Republican Peter Yu, was born in Denver and grew up helping in a central part of the city, where his family ran a kitchen, according to his campaign. His campaign slogan was "Red, White and Yu" and he ran on a campaign of realizing the American dream and defending the constitution.
Despite the district's liberal leanings, Neguse outspent Yu by $930,000 to win the seat, having raised almost $1.2 million for the election, according to campaign finance tracking website OpenSecrets. Both men are first-generation Americans, but voters decided on Neguse, who has worked in the public sector, to Yu, who has years of experience in banking and marketing.
