Michael Bennet

Bennet was born in 1964 in New Delhi, India, where his father was an aide to the U.S. ambassador, and grew up in Washington, D.C. He received a B.A. in history from Wesleyan University and a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was editor in chief of the Yale Law Journal.[1][2][3][4]

After graduating from Yale in 1993, Bennet clerked for Judge Francis D. Murnaghan on the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and worked as an associate lawyer at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering. In 1995, he became counsel to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, and in 1997, special assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.[3][5][6][7]

Bennet moved to Colorado in 1997, where he became managing director at Anschutz Investment Company.[3][6][7] In 2003, then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper hired Bennet as his chief of staff. In 2005, he was selected as the superintendent of Denver Public Schools, where he served until 2009.[3][6][8]

On January 21, 2009, Gov. Bill Ritter (D) appointed Bennet to the U.S. Senate after incumbent Ken Salazar (D) resigned to take a position in the Obama administration. In 2010, Bennet won a full term.[3][8]

In 2019, Bennet published a book titled, The Land of Flickering Lights: Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics.[9]

Michael Bennet did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteBennet's campaign website stated the following:Cutting Costs for ColoradoColorado families are being squeezed from every direction. Housing is out of reach, childcare now costs what college used to, and the cost of health care is a guessing game where no one wins. Even basics like getting to work and heating your home have become burdens. And Trump’s tariffs – hitting almost every product – are pushing prices higher. Colorado paychecks cannot keep up.Business as usual is failing Coloradans. Michael Bennet is running for governor to take on the rising cost of living and make Colorado affordable again for working families.That starts with:Affordable Homes for Every Family: Colorado faces a housing crisis that threatens families, communities, our economy, and our way of life. Many of us worry that our kids may never be able to afford to live here. Addressing the housing crisis is Michael’s number one priority. Michael will build a Colorado where nobody has to spend more than 30% of their income on housing by surging housing, bringing starter homes back to Colorado, making sure housing programs work for the whole state, and eliminating unnecessary red tape, so we are building housing faster. Read Michael’s Comprehensive Plan on Housing Affordability HERE.Budget-Friendly Home and Auto Insurance: Michael will implement a tax deduction for Coloradans to help afford home improvements that protect homes from damage from hail and wildfire. With car insurance rates soaring, Michael will take on auto insurance rates, including building on the state’s progress towards reducing auto theft.Affordable High Quality Health Care Throughout the State: Health care costs are crushing families and consuming our state budget. Michael believes that health care is a human right, and access to care shouldn’t depend on your income or where you live. Michael will bring leaders from every corner of the state together to reimagine Colorado’s health care system, so that it actually works for the people who depend on it. He will:Enumerate for Colorado the Biggest Drivers of Health Care Cost. Every Coloradan has a story about a price tag for medical services that seems way out of line with the care delivered. Even Coloradans with insurance struggle with irrationally high medical bills for simple procedures. Michael believes Coloradans need a shared and transparent understanding of why health care costs what it costs. He will complete and publish a comprehensive evaluation of health care cost drivers in Colorado in his first 100 days in office.Cut the Costs of Prescription Drugs. Coloradans across the state struggle to afford prescription drugs. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) serve as middlemen for prescription drug allocation and mark up costs to make a profit. Michael will champion state efforts to cut out increased costs and to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers for the best prices for Colorado.Support New Models to Deliver High Quality, Affordable Care. Under Michael’s leadership, Colorado will lead the country in creating innovative approaches to health and mental health care by providing flexibility and state support for: (1) community-driven models that deliver high-quality care to patients at a lower cost, (2) tools that enable Coloradans to track their health and take control of their well-being, and (3) innovative insurance options that lower costs for families and drive costs down in the marketplace, like state sponsored accounts that incentivize preventative care.Ensure Colorado Families Have Health and Mental Health Care Close to Home. Most of Colorado’s rural hospitals are in the red and some are in danger of closing. Families living in rural Colorado are at risk of losing access to care, and communities are at risk of losing critical economic drivers. Michael will be a strong partner to rural hospitals by supporting their efforts to sustain services long-term and serve the communities that depend on them. He will also launch a statewide initiative to make sure we have enough doctors, nurses, and health and mental health workers in the state.Affordable Child Care for Working Families: Colorado’s child care is among the most expensive in the nation, ranking fifth overall for infant care. Families pay, on average, almost $20,000 a year for infant care. Michael will make child care more affordable and accessible by cutting costs for families, supporting new child care models, and investing in child care workers. Read Michael’s Comprehensive Plan on Child Care Affordability HERE.More Choices for Low-Cost Transportation: Coloradans should be able to get to work, take their kids to school, and visit a doctor without breaking the bank. But today, transportation is the second largest expense for families, after housing. Expensive car insurance premiums, damaged roads, and a lack of affordable transit options are making daily life harder and more expensive. Colorado families deserve better, and Michael will:Fix the Roads. Colorado’s roads cost drivers $1,705 annually in wear and tear, more than double the national average. Michael will support innovative financing to reduce congestion bottlenecks, fix rural roads, fund maintenance, and increase safety and reliability. He will cut the time it takes for the state to approve and invest funds into road maintenance projects, especially those related to safety.Expand Affordable Transit Options. Michael will work with local and regional transit authorities to increase the availability and frequency of affordable transit options within Colorado’s cities and towns, including flexible alternatives that connect riders from home and work to transit hubs. He will expand bus rapid transit on major corridors and further connect statewide bus services, like Bustang, to local and regional transit systems throughout the state. He will also continue to work with local communities to expand and modernize passenger rail service, like Mountain Rail and Front Range Rail, in Colorado.Build Homes Closer to Jobs and Transit. Michael will work with local governments to make it easier and cheaper to create more affordable housing options closer to where people work, so Coloradans can spend less time and money on transportation. Affordable and Reliable Electricity. Rising energy costs are hitting Coloradans’ budgets harder than ever, and will only continue to grow. Since 2019, the average monthly bill for electricity has grown by 38%. Recent estimates project that residential utility rates could increase by at least that much again by 2030. Unlike places like California, Colorado’s energy prices need to be a competitive advantage for our state. Michael will work with utilities, energy companies, non-profits, local governments, and unions to bring down prices and make it easier for Coloradans to keep the lights on by:Strengthening Colorado’s Energy Independence to Bring Stability to Rates. Michael will start a Colorado Energy Innovation Program, a public-private partnership to research, develop, and scale promising, affordable clean energy sources and technology, like geothermal. He will also work with utilities and local communities to encourage investment in the development of large-scale clean energy solutions that bring affordable and reliable power, and he will support the build-out of a modern distribution and transmission infrastructure that increases efficiency and lowers costs. Michael will work with local governments to cut unnecessary red tape in permitting and expand energy infrastructure in ways that lower costs for consumers and benefit the communities where these projects are built.Ensuring Large Commercial Users Pay Their Fair Share. Massive energy users like data centers shouldn’t drive up utility bills for Colorado families. Michael will stand up for everyday Coloradans by making sure big corporations—not working families—pay the true cost of the power they use. Michael will support a pragmatic approach to commercial energy use in Colorado that still enables economic development. He will require new data centers to cover the cost of the energy they consume and to help finance the infrastructure they need to support the unprecedented additional energy load. Michael will require all new projects to align with Colorado’s clean energy, emissions reduction, water conservation, and workforce development goals—protecting our air, our water, and our quality of life.Create a Statewide Strategy for Energy Use That Reduces Costs. We can save money for Colorado families by committing to a statewide strategy that encourages a more balanced consumption and reduces peak demands. Michael will support residential and industrial energy storage solutions across the state. He will also incentivize businesses, data centers, and Colorado families to use energy during off-peak hours, and he will modernize our electrical grid so that we can take advantage of distributed energy, storage, and changes in customer demand.Help Families Keep Their Power On. Michael will implement a requirement mandating the state, utilities, and energy assistance organizations coordinate payment relief programs through increased funding and increased access to energy conservation programs to help families save money. He will also expand existing bill-assistance programs to help Coloradans stay connected at a rate they can afford.Affordable Homes for Every FamilyColorado faces a housing crisis that threatens families, communities, our economy, and our way of life. Many of us worry that our kids may never be able to afford to live here. Limited supply, bureaucratic delays, and rising costs have put affordable rental and homeownership out of reach for too many families and pushed Coloradans farther from their jobs. In many parts of Colorado, the number of hours a family must work to afford a mortgage has doubled over the past decade, even though average wages have increased by nearly 50%.Michael believes we must build more housing for people at every stage of life and for every part of Colorado, from young people entering the workforce, to parents raising kids, to seniors looking to downsize. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but to overcome this crisis, we must make building housing easier, faster, and less expensive, while protecting our public lands, open spaces, and the character of our communities that make Colorado special. Together, we can build a Colorado where no one is forced to spend more than 30% of their income on housing.Michael is committed to solving this challenge by tackling every aspect of it: building new homes of all types, preserving existing units, reducing red tape, lowering construction costs, and expanding support for first-time homebuyers. As Governor, he will bring together local communities, the private sector, non-profits, philanthropy, and the legislature to meet this urgent, statewide challenge. This innovative and future-oriented plan combines significant state investment and critical private sector participation to ensure that Coloradans can afford to live near where they work – today, and for generations to come.As Governor, Michael will:Drive a Statewide Surge in Home Construction to Build the Homes Coloradans Need: Colorado faces a housing shortfall, driving up costs and putting housing out of reach for many. Michael will work closely with communities, homebuilders, labor, and nonprofits to expand affordable supply by reducing costs, cutting red tape, and supporting local efforts to streamline permitting, generate revenue for affordable housing programs, and boost housing density. He will bolster those efforts through strategic state investments and a commitment to increase the supply of state-supported housing by as much as 30% by 2035.Bring Starter Homes Back to Colorado: Colorado needs more homes of all types within reach at every stage of life. Building and selling starter homes, including townhomes, condominiums, duplexes, and other types, expands affordability across the housing market. Affordable home ownership helps renters become homeowners, freeing up rental units. Michael will work with local governments and builders to provide the flexibility needed to make starter homes possible again—by speeding approvals and construction, increasing density, and reducing lot sizes, land costs, and construction expenses.Expand Support for First-Time Homebuyers: Michael will grow state partnerships with banks, non-profit organizations, employers, and landlords to provide options that bridge the gap between renting and homeownership. Michael will look to improve and expand tools that allow ladders into first-time home ownership, like mortgage assistance, downpayment assistance, tenant equity vehicles, and rent-to-own systems.Preserve and Rehabilitate Existing Affordable Homes: Preserving the affordable homes we already have is one of the most cost-effective ways to make Colorado an affordable place to live. Rehabilitating existing units is less expensive than new construction, makes use of existing infrastructure and land, and is an effective tool for helping people remain in the community they love. Michael will work to ensure that acquiring and rehabilitating existing affordable housing can compete for state housing resources, including Prop. 123 and tax credit programs. He will leverage state programs and private capital to expand financing options for maintaining and rehabilitating existing affordable homes. Michael will also support locally driven programs to put more working families in homes, like cost buy-downs, ADU construction, and permanent workforce housing in mountain communities.Eliminate Unnecessary Red Tape: Approval delays and bureaucracy drive up the cost of building new housing. Colorado families, local governments, and home builders need a state government that is reliable, consistent, and efficient. Michael will make housing approvals faster and more predictable by cutting red tape, streamlining rules, and removing unnecessary hurdles:One Application, One Process. Michael will require the state to adopt a single, common application for all state housing finance entities. This will allow home builders and local governments to apply for state funding and resources through one streamlined process, even when support comes from multiple agencies.One Door For All Housing Funding.  Michael will centralize access to all state housing funding streams in one place so homebuilders and local governments no longer have to shop around to different agencies to build funding stacks. This approach will break down silos and require state agencies to collaborate—with each other and with developers—to combine various public funding sources in new and creative ways that accelerate the production of more homes.From Award to Breaking Ground in One Year: Colorado must move faster to tackle the housing crisis. Michael will push for state-funded projects to move from approval to groundbreaking within one year. He will work with state housing finance entities, communities, and developers to track developments in real time, ensure transparency around the cause of delays, and work with partners to simplify and expedite the process in an effort to reach this goal.Use Technology to Build Faster. Michael will work with state housing finance entities and local governments to integrate technology that expedites permitting review, simplifies permits, streamlines underwriting for new housing, and improves data collection.Galvanize Private Sector Investment: Achieving Colorado’s housing goals requires robust private sector engagement. Michael will strategically deploy public funds to attract and accelerate private investment in housing across the state. To support this, Michael will expand and strengthen state financing tools to ensure they are effective and accessible for affordable and workforce housing in every region:Create New State Financing Tools. Michael will create new state financing tools, such as state-guaranteed loans and a revolving construction loan fund, to reduce risk and interest costs, and spur private investment in housing for working families and mixed-income communities.Strengthen Existing State Programs. Michael will strengthen state programs, like Proposition 123, by harnessing private investment, bonding, and credit enhancement to unlock additional funding for affordable and attainable housing development. He will also support changes to state programs that are hampering efficiency and limiting usefulness across the state.Lower the Cost of Construction: Since 2019, the average cost to build new housing has increased almost 50%, driven by rising costs in labor, materials, land, infrastructure, and interest rates — as well as permitting and regulatory delays. Michael will work to bring down the cost of construction:Create More Options for Affordable Financing. Michael will work to expand the availability of low-cost financing for new housing, necessary infrastructure, and the rehabilitation of affordable housing.Make Land Available for Housing. Michael will work with state agencies, local governments, school districts, and transit agencies to identify and offer land at below-market rate for affordable and workforce housing developments where it is appropriate.Expand the Housing Workforce. Michael will work with the private sector, schools, labor unions, and others to grow, accelerate, and tailor local workforce training in construction, trades, and innovative building methods.Promote Efficient Building. Michael will promote efforts to use land more efficiently, use and improve existing infrastructure, speed up construction, and simplify the rules for builders. He will also support communities in efforts to reduce transportation costs for residents through building more homes near where people work and near transportation hubs.Foster Fresh Thinking. Michael will support innovation and optimization of the construction process to increase speed, boost productivity, and lower costs.A Coordinated Approach to Reducing Homelessness. Michael will bring together Colorado leaders on the frontlines of homelessness to share best practices, learn from each other, and better coordinate the services that move people from crisis to permanent housing and stability. He will also prioritize prevention by securing stable funding for rental and utility assistance, legal aid, mediation, case management, and other supportive services that address the root causes of housing instability. These investments not only keep families and communities stable but also save money for renters, landlords, and taxpayers over the long term.Building a Healthier Colorado: A New Vision for Health and Mental HealthcareHealth care costs in Colorado are crushing families and consuming our state budget. In the last decade, total health care spending in Colorado has more than doubled, and out-of-pocket costs for patients have climbed almost 50%. Even families with insurance face unaffordable bills, narrow networks, and coverage that falls short when they need it most. Many Coloradans are opting out of insurance altogether. Rural hospitals are barely hanging on. And, too many families are one illness or accident away from financial disaster. Projected annual medicaid cost increases of 9% and the Trump administration’s catastrophic “Big Beautiful Bill” will only make matters worse for Colorado families.Colorado is home to one of the healthiest populations in the country, and Michael believes we have an opportunity to define a new and bold approach. Colorado should use this moment to work together to build a new, stronger system– one that puts families and communities at the heart of our health care system, cares for the whole person through an integrated approach to mental and physical health, empowers patients to actively shape their health outcomes, and actually works for the people who depend on it. At the core of Michael’s approach is his longstanding commitment to universal health care. He believes that health care is a human right and that access to care should not depend on income, geography, or circumstance.Changes this far reaching will require intense collaboration across our state. Michael will bring leaders from every corner of the state to work towards four core priorities:Protect and strengthen Colorado’s safety net, including Medicaid, and launching a Colorado Public Option;Lower health care costs, by expanding access to the state health insurance plan, realigning incentives, and focusing on prevention to reduce chronic disease;Give Coloradans real transparency and the state more power to negotiate for lower costs, andExpand access to whole-person care across Colorado. Protect and Strengthen Medicaid and Colorado’s Safety Net. The Trump Administration’s recent steps to gut Medicaid, cut hospital matching funds, and eliminate health insurance subsidies have put Colorado’s already fragile health care safety net at serious risk. Michael will take decisive action to protect and ensure the long-term sustainability of Colorado’s health care safety net by:Protecting and Strengthening Medicaid: Michael will work to strengthen Colorado’s Medicaid system by aligning incentives towards the delivery of the highest quality care to patients at the lowest possible cost. He will work to change payments so that providers are rewarded for the overall value and quality of care they deliver, rather than the number of procedures they perform. He will also collaborate closely with health care leaders and local communities to improve state government efficiency, cut out unnecessary bureaucracy, and eliminate waste and fraud. He will work in partnership with leaders across the state to bring Colorado’s eligibility and enrollment system into the 21st century, minimizing the number of people who unnecessarily lose coverage because of bureaucratic obstacles and making it faster, more efficient, and easier for Coloradans to access the care they need.Launching a Colorado Public Option: Michael will work with state health care leaders, advocates, and federal partners to design and launch a new Colorado Public Option for Coloradans who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but still struggle to afford coverage on the individual marketplace. By offering comprehensive benefits, predictable premiums, and lower out-of-pocket costs, the new Basic Health Program will serve as a bridge between Medicaid and marketplace coverage—reducing coverage churn, improving continuity of care, and helping more Coloradans (including young people coming off their parents’ insurance) access preventive services before health needs become emergencies.Making Sure Taxpayer Dollars Go to Patients and Health Care Workers, Not Investor Profit: A large and growing share of Colorado’s Medicaid dollars support our aging population and Coloradans with the most complex needs, including those receiving home and community-based services. Michael will prioritize ensuring limited state resources are spent directly on Coloradans who need care and the caregivers who support them. He will direct a thorough investigation into the role private equity firms may be playing in driving up health care costs—particularly in long term supports and services settings—and into how much taxpayer funding is being diverted to investor profits rather than patient care.Supporting Rural Providers and the Rural Health Care Workforce:  For the past two decades, Michael has been a strong partner and tireless advocate for Colorado’s rural providers. Today, many rural hospitals across Colorado are operating in the red, with some at risk of closure. Families in rural communities face the loss of access to essential health care, while local economies risk losing critical employers and economic anchors. Michael will continue to stand with Colorado’s rural hospitals by making current government programs and investment work better for rural communities and partnering with them to sustain services for the long term, transition to more sustainable financial models, invest in needed capital improvements, and secure adequate reimbursement for services.Standing Up for Public Health: As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado’s public health system plays a vital role in providing access to critical health care services to the entire population, including vaccines, screenings for preventable diseases, and substance abuse support. Michael will protect Colorado’s public health by working with other states to provide Coloradans accurate information, defending science-based vaccine guidance, and rebuilding the health care workforceLower health care costs, including by expanding access to the state health insurance plan and focusing on preventive care. Colorado’s health care system is fragmented, oriented toward the short-term, and burdened by bureaucracy that drives up costs without improving outcomes. It also fails to give Coloradans access to the services they need to stay healthy and prevent chronic conditions. Michael will work in partnership with health care leaders to build a better model in Colorado through:Expanding the State Employee Health Plan: Currently, state employees serve as one of the largest employee groups in the state, and benefit from high-quality health coverage. At the same time, school districts and counties are left to negotiate for health care on their own–leaving them more vulnerable to higher costs. As a first step, Michael will allow school districts and county governments to participate in the health plan offered to state employees. Michael will also launch a pilot program to give Coloradans ages 25-35, small businesses (including small family farms) the opportunity to buy into state health coverage.Advancing a Patient First Initiative: Colorado’s health care system is too often managed one year at a time, limiting innovation, discouraging long-term investment, and locking in short-term thinking that makes health care more expensive without making anyone healthier. The system also operates in silos, missing opportunities to coordinate care and deliver better results for patients. Michael will push for a multi-year, strategic approach to health care reform—one that rewards lasting results rather than temporary fixes. He will start a Patient First Initiative, long-term partnerships with health care providers, insurers, and communities that break down silos, focus on preventive care, integrate technology, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, access, and affordability to patients.Starting Colorado HealthCheck: Michael will work with health care providers, communities, and technology partners to launch Colorado HealthCheck. While prioritizing the protection of patient privacy and data, this public-private partnership will provide Coloradans access to user-friendly technology to access basic healthcare, schedule preventive visits with local health care providers, receive personalized guidance to manage chronic conditions, and guide access to specialist referrals when required. The program will use telemedicine as a “front-door” to access, helping to amplify the reach of local providers, emphasize early intervention and prevention, and empower Coloradans to own their own health and address health concerns before they become emergencies.Deploying Data and Technology to Improve Care Delivery: Working together with health care providers, Michael will implement technology that improves the flow of healthcare data to inform patient care, improve care delivery, lower costs, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. While emphasizing patient privacy, the state will invest in a cohesive data and reporting infrastructure that enables healthcare providers to learn from past performance and be responsive to changing needs, so that we spend more resources on quality care that delivers results.Give Coloradans real transparency and the state more power to negotiate for better prices. Health care pricing in Colorado is opaque and increasingly disconnected from the actual cost of care. Michael will work to put the power to negotiate for better prices back in the hands of Coloradans through increasing transparency and empowering the state, including:Identifying the Biggest Drivers of Health Care Costs: Every Coloradan has a story about a price tag for medical services that seems way out of line with the care delivered. Even Coloradans with insurance struggle with irrationally high medical bills for simple procedures. Michael believes Coloradans need a shared, transparent understanding of why health care costs what it costs. In his first 100 days in office, he will complete and publish a comprehensive evaluation of health care cost drivers in Colorado.Passing a “If You Pay, It Counts” Law: If you pay a doctor or other health care provider yourself for a covered, medically necessary service, your health insurance should count that payment toward your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. Michael will push for a state law requiring health insurance to count any amount patients pay directly to a health care provider toward their deductible and annual out-of-pocket maximum for a covered, medically necessary service, as long as the amount they pay is less than the average in-network rate for that service.Empowering Colorado to Fight for L