Jared Polis faces Heidi Ganahl: A 1-minute voter's guide on Colroado governor's race - Axios DenverLog InLog InAxios Denver is an Axios company.

1-minute voter guide Jared Polis faces challenge from Heidi Ganahl

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photos: Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images Colorado's two candidates for governor couldn't be more different — and that's exactly how they want it. State of play: Gov. Jared Polis is seeking a second term to continue a massive transformation of state government since Democrats took complete control of lawmaking in 2019, while Republican rival Heidi Ganahl is pledging to reverse most of the changes. Why it matters: The governor holds broad authority to set policy plans and determine the direction of the state. Meet the candidates: Both candidates lived in California for a time and made millions as entrepreneurs, one of their few similarities.Polis, 47, founded an online flower and greeting card business and other tech companies before being elected to the Colorado state education board in 2000. He then spent a decade as a congressman representing his hometown of Boulder. He made history as the state's first openly gay and first Jewish governor when elected in 2019Ganahl, 56, founded and sold Camp Bow Wow, a dog daycare business and other nonprofits. She grew up in Monument. As a regent on the governing board of the University of Colorado system, she is currently the only statewide elected Republican in Colorado. Where they stand: Polis is campaigning on his record — pushing through an expansion of preschool and kindergarten, as well as putting Colorado on a path toward more renewable energy.Ganahl's top priority is repealing the state's income tax, a move that would put a $12 billion hole in the state budget and force drastic cuts to education, health care and corrections. She argues the state is spending too much, and pledged to cut $1 billion in discretionary spending from the budget each year. Of note: Earlier this year, Polis signed into state law unlimited protections for abortion in Colorado.Ganahl, who opposes abortion except in cases of rape and incest, "rip up the disgusting Polis abortion bill." Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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