Colorado governor casts rosy outlook in inaugural address

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis set his vision for the next four years, saying he's committed to "real results over partisan ideology" in his inaugural address Tuesday.

Why it matters: Polis' speech bolsters his cross-partisan image at a time when the Democrat is drawing national political attention.

Driving the news: The governor outlined five main priorities for his second term, echoing ideas from his re-election campaign:

• Reduce housing costs by creating more housing that's consistent with limiting environmental impacts;
• Renewing a commitment to 100% renewable energy;
• Deliver on voter-approved expanded preschool;
• "Tackle crime head-on, yes, by holding criminals accountable" and through focusing on crime prevention;
• Address affordability by lowering taxes, fees and health care costs.

What he's saying: From the west steps of the state Capitol, Polis acknowledged the challenges to come, saying "nothing about the task in front of us will be easy." But he didn't linger on the difficulties.

• "For too many people, life is too hard and too expensive," Polis said.

Between the lines: The sparse 12-minute address kept to broad strokes, avoiding direct mentions of the Club Q shooting in November that left five dead, nor the pandemic or the state's wildfires that defined his first term.

John's thought bubble: It's unsurprising. Polis is known for his rosy outlook and never looks back.

• Expect to hear a more concrete policy agenda next week at the governor's State of the State address before the Legislature.