In a historic first, Colorado Governor Jared Polis marries longtime partner Marlon Reis

BOULDER, Colo. — Governor Jared Polis married his longtime partner Marlon Reis on Wednesday, September 15, on the 18th anniversary of their first date.

The traditional Jewish ceremony took place outside at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where Polis and Reis live with their two children.

The marriage marks the first same-sex marriage of a sitting United States governor.

Polis has made history several times. In 2008, when he was elected to United States Congress, he was the first same-sex parent to do so. He was also the first openly gay person to be elected governor of a state when he was elected in 2018.

“The greatest lesson we have learned over the past eighteen months is that life as we know it can change in an instant. We are thankful for the health and wellbeing of our family and friends, and the opportunity to celebrate our life together as a married couple,” said Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis in a joint statement after the ceremony. “After eighteen years, we couldn't be happier to be married at last.”

Rabbi Tirzah Firestone officiated the ceremony and according to the governor’s office, every guest in attendance was required to test negative for COVID-19.

Same-sex marriage was prohibited in Colorado until 2014. Gay marriage, however, became the law of the land after a Supreme Court decision in 2015.

"As I was growing up, marriage was not even in the realm of possibility," Reis said, according to a report from Colorado Public Radio’s Bente Birkeland. "And in fact, the reality was that there was a lot of misinformation out there about what could potentially happen if you came out — what opportunities would you lose, how it would negatively impact you. So for a long time, the idea of getting married, we didn't talk about it."