Meet Dan

Colorado native Dan Baer is a candidate who has lived a life of public service, not a lifetime in politics.

A Heritage High School grad (his mom was his art teacher!), Dan is the oldest of four. When his youngest brother was 6 and their father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Dan came home from grad school to care for his dad in his final months. Dan has an intimate understanding of what it’s like to fear a pre-existing condition and the loss of health care.

Dan went on to become an advocate for human rights and a representative of American values in over fifty countries around the world.

President Obama appointed Dan as US Ambassador to the OSCE–the world’s largest regional security organization. He worked with Vice President Biden and Secretary Kerry to get international monitors to Ukraine in the wake of the 2014 Russian invasion. Earlier, as a deputy assistant secretary of state, Dan helped Secretary Clinton develop her landmark LGBTQ speech.

After returning home to Denver with his husband Brian, Dan taught at the University of Denver. He was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to serve as executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, where he stood up for Colorado students against the harmful policies of Betsy DeVos.

Now Dan is running for Senate because he knows working people are taking all the risks these days, while big corporations are getting all the rewards. We need to reset. A strong America starts at home. The U.S. Senate can learn a lot from Colorado, but Senator Cory Gardner is taking his cues from Washington. As Senator, Dan will fight for big new ideas, to lift new voices up, and to show we’re not ready to give up on the idea that we can do better.

Dan will be spending the first few months of the campaign listening to Coloradans and learning about their priorities for their next Senator. Look for some of Dan’s ideas about specific policies in the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, if you want to learn about Dan’s record of advocating for progressive values and human rights, you can read more here:

Dan on Education: “We have entered a new ‘skills age’ where the skills to compete in an increasingly technologically advanced and global economy are, for most people, essential to having a shot at a middle class life.”

Dan on Climate Change: “Trump can bluster that he’s putting America first, but climate change is real and will become far more dire in the coming years. The need for action to address it will remain urgent. The rest of the world won’t be standing still and neither should we if we want to advance American security and prosperity.”

Dan on LGBT rights: “We can talk about human rights protections for LGBT people everywhere while conversations about the rights of LGBT people continue here at home and while we’re still making progress on efforts to combat hate crimes and violence.”

Dan on National Service: “A program of universal national service would produce better citizens and a stronger America.”

Dan on Net Neutrality: “On net neutrality, the FCC didn’t just make a bad decision; it had a broken process.”

Dan on Torture: “It’s not just Trump’s embrace of torture that raises concerns. The White House’s chaotic approach to governance and willingness to test (or ignore) the boundaries of legality also endanger the prohibition established by Obama.”

Dan on Anti-Semitism: “Ignoring anti-semitism won’t make it go away.”

Dan on Gun Violence: “We, the young people of America, assert our right to feel safe, to come of age in communities governed by ethical principles, and to have a voice – a voice that we claim along with all of its privileges and responsibilities.”

Dan on Trade: “Our political leaders—Democrats and Republicans alike—must start prioritizing workers, consumers and the middle class, rather than making the world safe for corporate investment.”

Dan on Military Pay: “Give the troops a raise.”

More coming soon.