Michael Farrand Bennet, born November 28, 1964, is a U.S. Senator from Colorado serving since 2009. He was first appointed to the seat by Governor Bill Ritter when Senator Ken Salazar became Secretary of the Interior, then was elected in 2010, 2016, and 2022. Before his Senate career, Bennet served as superintendent of Denver Public Schools (2005-2009), where he helped turn around the failing school system, and as chief of staff to then-Mayor John Hickenlooper (2003-2005). He is known for his bipartisan approach to legislating and his focus on education and economic opportunity.
Son of a Holocaust survivor mother and State Department official father, Bennet was born in New Delhi, India. He grew up in Washington, D.C., and earned his B.A. from Wesleyan University and J.D. from Yale Law School. He served in several government roles before becoming superintendent of Denver Public Schools, where he improved student achievement and stabilized budgets.