Mike Coffman

Mike Coffman
Born	Michael Harold Coffman 19 3, 1955
Birthplace	Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman, veteran
Known for	U.S. Representative for Colorado's 6th congressional district; Mayor of Aurora, Colorado
Education	University of Colorado Boulder (BA)

Michael Harold Coffman (born March 19, 1955) is an American politician, businessman, and military veteran who has served as the Mayor of Aurora, Colorado since December 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Coffman has held a succession of elected offices in Colorado spanning more than three decades, including five terms as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 6th congressional district (2009–2019), Secretary of State of Colorado (2007–2009), and Colorado State Treasurer (1999–2005; 2006–2007). Born at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri to a military family, Coffman grew up in Aurora and enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of seventeen. He later transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve and served in both the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War, attaining the rank of major. His long career in public service has been defined by his military background, his focus on veterans' affairs during his time in Congress, and, more recently, his efforts to address homelessness and urban governance as mayor of Colorado's third-largest city.

Early Life

Michael Harold Coffman was born on March 19, 1955, at Fort Leonard Wood, a U.S. Army installation in the Missouri Ozarks. His father was a soldier, and the family's life was shaped by the rhythms of military service. When Coffman was nine years old, the family relocated to Aurora, Colorado, a growing suburb on the eastern edge of the Denver metropolitan area, where he would spend the rest of his formative years.

Following in his father's footsteps, Coffman enlisted in the United States Army at the age of seventeen. He served two years on active duty before transitioning to the Army Reserve in order to pursue higher education. His early military service would prove to be the beginning of a lengthy career in uniform that would span decades and include combat deployments in two wars.

Education

Coffman attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In addition to his undergraduate studies at CU Boulder, Coffman participated in special academic programs at Harvard University and the University of Veracruz in Mexico, broadening his education beyond the traditional undergraduate curriculum.

Career

Military Service

Coffman's military career extended from 1972 to 2006, encompassing service in two branches of the armed forces. He initially served in the U.S. Army from 1972 to 1978, including two years of active duty followed by reserve service. In 1979, he transferred to the United States Marine Corps Reserve, where he would serve until 1994 and again from 2005 to 2006.

Coffman saw combat in the Persian Gulf War of 1990–1991 as a Marine reservist. More than a decade later, he returned to active service for the Iraq War, serving during the 2005–2006 period. He attained the rank of major in the Marine Corps. His combat experience in two wars became a defining element of his political identity and informed much of his legislative work on veterans' issues during his subsequent congressional career.

Business Career

After transferring to the Marine Corps Reserve, Coffman founded a property management company in Aurora in 1983. The business provided him with a professional base in the community outside of his military and political activities.

Colorado State Legislature

Coffman's political career began with his election to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1988, representing the 49th district. He took office in January 1989 and was reelected in 1990, serving until January 1993. He then represented the 40th district from January 1993 until December 1994.

In December 1994, Coffman was appointed to the Colorado State Senate, representing the 27th district. He succeeded Bill Owens, who had vacated the seat. Coffman served in the State Senate until January 3, 1999, when he moved on to statewide office. He was succeeded in the Senate by John Andrews.

Colorado State Treasurer

Coffman was elected Colorado State Treasurer in 1998, succeeding Bill Owens, who had been elected governor. He took office on January 3, 1999, and served until June 9, 2005, during the governorship of Bill Owens. After a brief period in which Mark Hillman served as acting treasurer, Coffman returned to the position on March 27, 2006, serving until January 9, 2007, when he assumed his next statewide office.

Colorado Secretary of State

In 2006, Coffman was elected as the 35th Secretary of State of Colorado, taking office on January 9, 2007. He served during the governorship of Bill Ritter. His tenure as Secretary of State was marked by controversies related to election administration. In October 2008, a court case arose regarding voting forms that had been ruled incomplete due to the absence of a required check box, raising questions about election procedures under Coffman's office. Additionally, a lawsuit alleged that voters in Colorado had been illegally purged from voter rolls, resulting in federal court proceedings. The matter was addressed in a court order issued on October 30, 2008, and a subsequent notice filed in January 2009.

Coffman resigned as Secretary of State upon his election to the U.S. Congress. Governor Bill Ritter appointed Bernie Buescher to succeed him in the post.

United States Congress

Election to Congress

In 2008, Coffman ran for the seat in Colorado's 6th congressional district being vacated by retiring Representative Tom Tancredo. He won the Republican primary and the general election, taking office on January 3, 2009. He was reelected four additional times, serving a total of five terms representing the 6th district.

Legislative Work and Veterans' Affairs

During his tenure in Congress, Coffman focused significantly on veterans' issues, drawing on his own military experience. He introduced legislation addressing the needs of veterans, including a bipartisan bill on Gulf War health research aimed at expanding research into health conditions affecting veterans of the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War.

Coffman also engaged with issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs, issuing statements on expiring authorizations and the need for reform within the department. In the 113th Congress, he was involved with H.R. 1402, a House bill addressing policy matters.

Controversies During Congressional Tenure

In 2012, Coffman drew significant media attention and criticism when he made remarks at a fundraiser questioning whether President Barack Obama was "an American." The comments were widely reported in the press. Coffman subsequently walked back the remarks.

Reelection Campaigns

Coffman faced increasingly competitive reelection campaigns as the demographics of Colorado's 6th congressional district shifted. The district, once reliably Republican, became more politically competitive over the course of his tenure. In 2011, a campaign was launched to challenge him.

2018 Defeat

In the 2018 midterm elections, Coffman was defeated by Democrat Jason Crow, an Army veteran and attorney, in what was part of a national wave election that saw Democrats retake the House of Representatives. Crow succeeded Coffman on January 3, 2019, ending Coffman's decade-long tenure in Congress.

Mayor of Aurora

2019 Election

Following his congressional defeat, Coffman pivoted to municipal politics, running for mayor of Aurora, Colorado, the state's third-largest city by population. He was elected in November 2019, succeeding Bob LeGare, and took office on December 2, 2019.

2023 Reelection

Coffman was reelected to a second term as mayor in the 2023 election, continuing his leadership of the city.

Homelessness Initiatives

As mayor, Coffman has pursued an active approach to addressing homelessness in Aurora. The city established the Aurora Connection Center, a facility that operates on a model linking shelter services to sobriety and personal responsibility, with residents receiving improved accommodations as they demonstrate progress. Coffman has described his aim as building a "national model" for addressing homelessness. The city's approach has been defended by supporters who argue that progress on homelessness requires sustained strategic commitment.

Intergovernmental Relations

Coffman has engaged in collaborative efforts with the mayors of Colorado's other major cities. In early 2026, he joined with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade to send a joint letter to Governor Jared Polis and state legislative leaders outlining shared municipal priorities. However, relations between Aurora and Denver have at times involved tension. In July 2025, Coffman and Denver Mayor Johnston publicly addressed what was described as "the elephant in the room" regarding ongoing tensions between their two cities' administrations.

Water Conservation

Coffman has also been involved in water policy, advocating for Aurora's leadership in water conservation in the arid American West. In a 2026 opinion piece published in The Denver Post, Coffman highlighted Aurora's efforts to address drought and conserve water resources.

Personal Life

Coffman has been a resident of Aurora, Colorado since childhood, having moved to the city at age nine. His personal life has been closely intertwined with both his military service and his political career. The property management company he founded in Aurora in 1983 served as his primary business enterprise outside of politics. Coffman's military service included deployments to active combat zones during the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War, experiences that he has frequently cited in his public life as informing his approach to governance and policy.

Recognition

Coffman's career has been recognized through his repeated election to public office at the local, state, and federal levels. He is one of relatively few American politicians to have served in both the state legislature, statewide executive offices (treasurer and secretary of state), the United States Congress, and as a mayor of a major city. His military record, which includes service in two branches of the armed forces and combat deployments in two wars, has been a central element of his public profile throughout his career.

In 2019, The Denver Post endorsed Coffman's candidacy for mayor of Aurora, citing his experience and leadership qualities as assets for the city.

Legacy

Coffman's political career, spanning from the late 1980s into the 2020s, reflects the evolving political landscape of suburban Colorado. His long tenure in Colorado's 6th congressional district coincided with a period of significant demographic change in the district, as it shifted from a reliably Republican constituency to a competitive swing district. His 2018 defeat by Jason Crow was emblematic of broader suburban political realignment in the United States, as traditionally Republican-leaning suburban districts moved toward the Democratic Party during the Trump era.

As mayor of Aurora, Coffman has sought to define a second act in public service focused on municipal governance. His approach to homelessness through the Aurora Connection Center has drawn attention as a potential model for other cities, and his engagement with water conservation policy addresses one of the defining challenges facing communities in the American West.

Coffman's career is also notable for the breadth of offices he has held. Few American politicians have served in a state legislature, two different statewide executive offices, the U.S. House of Representatives, and as mayor of a major city, all while maintaining a parallel career as a military reservist who deployed to two combat zones. This combination of military, business, and political experience has defined Coffman's public identity across more than three decades in Colorado public life.