On Sunday, March 12, the editorial board of the Denver Post announced its endorsement of Mike Johnston for Denver mayor. Their decision was based on a 45-minute interview with the candidate in which he provided intelligent, substantive, well thought out answers that included plans to solve the city’s significant problems in ways that the members of the editorial board felt would work.
The board conducted interviews with 14 of the remaining 16 candidates for Denver mayor, but Johnston, they reported, “stood out even in this field of stars.”
Johnston has worked in education for much of his life, as a teacher and a principal, including principal of the Marvin Foote Detention Center for students in custody. There, he was responsible for the first high school graduation ever held.
He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Yale, a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard, and a law degree from Yale. Johnston served in the Colorado State Senate from 2009 through 2016, where he was involved with significant legislation, including the READ Act, which supports students
in grades K-3 attaining grade-level reading skills.
Johnston ran for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018, eventually losing to current Governor Jared Polis. He also sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2020, but withdrew from the race when current U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper decided to enter it.
Johnston is one of 17 candidates on the ballot in Denver’s April 4 election. If no one gets over 50% of the votes cast, a runoff of the two top vote-getters will be held in June.
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