Michael Bennet

Michael Bennet
Born	Michael Farrand Bennet 28 11, 1964
Birthplace	New Delhi, India
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician, diplomat
Title	United States Senator from Colorado
Known for	U.S. Senator from Colorado (2009–present), Superintendent of Denver Public Schools
Education	Wesleyan University (BA) Yale University (JD)
Children	3
Website	[Official Senate website Official site]

Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who has served as the senior United States Senator from Colorado since January 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Bennet was appointed to the Senate seat vacated by Ken Salazar when Salazar was named Secretary of the Interior by President Barack Obama. Before entering the Senate, Bennet held a range of positions in law, business, municipal government, and education — serving as a managing director at the Anschutz Investment Company, chief of staff to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and superintendent of Denver Public Schools. He won election to a full Senate term in 2010, defeating Republican nominee Ken Buck, and was reelected in 2016 and 2022. Bennet chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2014 election cycle and became Colorado's senior senator in 2015 after Mark Udall was defeated. In 2019, he launched a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, withdrawing in February 2020 after a poor result in the New Hampshire primary. As of 2026, Bennet is running for Governor of Colorado, competing in the Democratic primary ahead of the state's open gubernatorial race.

Early Life

Michael Farrand Bennet was born on November 28, 1964, in New Delhi, India, where his father was stationed at the time. His father, Douglas J. Bennet, had a distinguished career in public service and academia, serving as a State Department official and later as president of Wesleyan University. His brother, James Bennet, went on to a prominent career in journalism. The Bennet family had deep roots in American civic life, and Michael grew up in an environment shaped by public service and policy engagement.

The family eventually settled in the United States, and Bennet grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. His upbringing was marked by exposure to government and politics through his father's career in the State Department and other public institutions. Early in his life, Bennet developed an interest in law and public policy that would guide his professional trajectory.

Bennet's path to public service was described by the Rocky Mountain News as an "American tale," reflecting a family narrative that spanned diplomatic posts abroad and engagement with American democratic institutions at home. His multicultural birth and upbringing — born in India and raised in the United States — contributed to a worldview that later informed his positions on immigration and foreign affairs during his Senate career.

Education

Bennet attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where his father would later serve as president. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan. He then pursued legal studies at Yale Law School, one of the nation's top-ranked law programs, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.

Following law school, Bennet worked as a law clerk, a common entry point for graduates of elite law programs seeking careers in the judiciary or legal profession. His legal training at Yale provided the foundation for his subsequent career in both the private and public sectors, including his work in the Department of Justice during the Clinton administration.

Career

Early Legal and Political Career

After completing his legal education, Bennet entered public service. Early in his career, he worked for Ohio Governor Richard Celeste, gaining experience in state-level governance and executive administration. He subsequently served as counsel to the U.S. Deputy Attorney General during the administration of President Bill Clinton, working within the Department of Justice on federal legal matters.

Following his time in the Clinton administration, Bennet transitioned to the private sector. He joined the Anschutz Investment Company, the investment vehicle of billionaire Philip Anschutz, where he served as a managing director. In this role, Bennet was involved in corporate restructuring and investment activities, gaining experience in business and finance that distinguished him from many career politicians. His career trajectory was later characterized by the Denver Post as being "marked by adaptability," reflecting his movement across multiple professional domains.

Chief of Staff to Mayor Hickenlooper

In 2003, Bennet was hired as chief of staff to newly elected Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who would later become his colleague in the U.S. Senate. Bennet served in this capacity from 2003 to 2005, overseeing the mayor's office and playing a central role in the administration of Colorado's capital city. His work as chief of staff gave him direct experience in municipal governance, budgeting, and education policy, and raised his profile in Colorado political circles.

The Rocky Mountain News profiled Bennet's career path during this period, noting how his move from the private sector to city government represented a deliberate turn toward public service. His performance in the chief of staff role led directly to his next appointment.

Superintendent of Denver Public Schools

In July 2005, Bennet was appointed superintendent of Denver Public Schools (DPS), succeeding Jerome Wartgow. The appointment was notable because Bennet had no formal background in education administration. Despite this, the DPS board selected him based on his management experience and his record as Hickenlooper's chief of staff.

During his tenure as superintendent, which lasted from 2005 to 2009, Bennet pursued a reform agenda focused on improving student outcomes, expanding school choice, and addressing the district's financial challenges. He oversaw initiatives to close the achievement gap and to implement performance-based accountability for schools. His record at DPS drew both praise from education reformers and criticism from some teachers' unions and community groups.

The Colorado Springs Independent later described Bennet as "the accidental senator," a characterization that reflected how his path from the school district to the U.S. Senate was unplanned and driven by circumstance rather than long-term political ambition. His successor as superintendent was Tom Boasberg, who continued many of the reform efforts Bennet had initiated.

Appointment to the United States Senate

On January 3, 2009, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter appointed Bennet to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Ken Salazar, who had been selected by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as Secretary of the Interior. The appointment surprised many political observers, as Bennet was not well known outside of Denver and had never held elected office. Several other candidates had been mentioned for the seat, but Ritter chose Bennet based on his record as superintendent and his management skills.

President-elect Obama praised the selection, signaling his approval of Ritter's choice. Bennet took office on January 21, 2009, beginning what would become a lengthy tenure in the Senate.

2010 Senate Election

Facing his first election in 2010, Bennet won the Democratic primary despite a challenge from Andrew Romanoff, the former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. In the general election, Bennet defeated Republican nominee Ken Buck, the Weld County District Attorney, in a closely contested race that was one of the most competitive Senate elections in the country that year. The race attracted national attention and significant outside spending from both parties. Bennet's victory was considered a notable achievement given the difficult political environment for Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections.

Senate Tenure

In the Senate, Bennet has served on several committees and has focused on issues including education, agriculture, healthcare, and immigration. He has been a proponent of the DREAM Act and broader immigration reform.

Bennet chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) for the 2014 election cycle, succeeding Patty Murray in that role. In this capacity, he oversaw the party's efforts to defend and win Senate seats across the country, working under Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He was succeeded as DSCC chair by Jon Tester.

Bennet became Colorado's senior senator in 2015 after Mark Udall lost his reelection bid to Republican Cory Gardner. He was reelected to the Senate in 2016 and again in 2022, establishing himself as a durable electoral figure in Colorado politics.

A 2016 profile in The Washington Post described Bennet as "the can-do senator in a can't-do Congress," highlighting his efforts to build bipartisan coalitions on issues such as immigration reform and education policy in a deeply polarized legislative body. The profile noted his pragmatic approach to legislating and his willingness to work across party lines on certain issues.

Time magazine included Bennet on its list of rising political figures, recognizing his influence in the Senate despite his relatively unconventional path to office.

2020 Presidential Campaign

On May 2, 2019, Bennet announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. He entered a crowded primary field that ultimately included more than two dozen candidates. Bennet positioned himself as a pragmatic centrist, emphasizing education, healthcare, and fiscal responsibility. However, he struggled to gain significant traction in polls or fundraising compared to higher-profile candidates. He dropped out of the race on February 11, 2020, after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary.

2026 Gubernatorial Campaign

As of early 2026, Bennet is running for Governor of Colorado in the state's open gubernatorial race. His primary opponent for the Democratic nomination is Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. The two candidates appeared together at a Colorado Young Democrats forum in January 2026, where they presented contrasting visions for the state's future.

Bennet's gubernatorial campaign has included an "Our Colorado" tour, during which he has visited communities across the state to discuss issues such as child care, education, and rural economic development. In February 2026, he visited the Loveland Youth Campus to discuss child care policy. He has also weighed in on state policy issues, stating that he favors suspending Colorado's wolf reintroduction program.

The Colorado Sun reported that voters have continued to ask Bennet why he wants to leave the Senate to become governor, a question his campaign has addressed throughout the race. The question of who would fill his Senate seat should he win the governorship has also attracted public commentary, with a Denver Post opinion piece arguing that Bennet should either announce his intended replacement or resign his Senate seat to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

While campaigning for governor, Bennet has continued to serve in the Senate. In February 2026, he announced that Colorado immigration advocate Andrea Loya would join him as his guest at President Trump's State of the Union address. He also urged Coloradans to heed travel advisories regarding Mexico following violence linked to the killing of a Mexican cartel leader.

Personal Life

Michael Bennet is the son of Douglas J. Bennet, who served as a State Department official and as president of Wesleyan University. His brother, James Bennet, pursued a career in journalism. Bennet has three children.

Born in New Delhi, India, Bennet holds United States citizenship. His family's background in diplomacy and public service has been cited as a formative influence on his career. The Rocky Mountain News profiled the Bennet family's story in 2009, describing it as reflective of a broader tradition of American public engagement spanning multiple generations.

Recognition

Bennet has received recognition from several national media outlets over the course of his career. Time magazine listed him among notable rising political figures, citing his work in the Senate on education and other policy issues. The Washington Post profiled him at length in 2016, characterizing his legislative approach as pragmatic and bipartisan in an era of intense congressional dysfunction. 5280 Magazine, a Denver-based publication, published a feature-length profile in 2015 exploring his unexpected rise from school superintendent to senior senator.

His career has also been the subject of analysis in the Denver Post, the Colorado Springs Independent, and the Rocky Mountain News, all of which have examined his unconventional political trajectory and his role in Colorado governance.