Jason Crow
Jason Crow (born March 15, 1979) is an American politician, lawyer, and former U.S. Army Ranger serving as the Democratic U.S. representative for Colorado's 6th congressional district since 2019.[1][2] Crow enlisted in the National Guard to finance his education and transitioned to active duty in the Army following the September 11 attacks, serving three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a captain in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment.[2][3][4] He earned a Bronze Star for his service and led a platoon of paratroopers during operations in Iraq.[2] After leaving the military, Crow practiced law in Denver, where he was recognized as the city's pro bono lawyer of the year for assisting service members in transitioning to civilian life.[2] Elected to Congress in 2018 by defeating incumbent Republican Mike Coffman, Crow serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Armed Services Committee, where he holds the ranking Democratic position on the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee.[2] His district encompasses Aurora and portions of Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties.[5] Crow has emphasized national security and foreign policy issues, drawing on his military background to advocate for veterans and defense priorities.[6]
Early life and education
Family background and upbringing
Jason Crow was born on March 15, 1979, in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin.[7] He was raised in a working-class family as the son of small business owners, which instilled values of self-reliance and hard work from an early age.[8][2] Details about his parents' specific identities or businesses remain private, with no public records disclosing their names or enterprises beyond their status as entrepreneurs supporting a modest household.[9] During high school, Crow took on minimum-wage jobs to contribute to his family's finances and build personal discipline, reflecting the practical ethos of his upbringing.[2] To fund his higher education, he enlisted in the National Guard and worked in construction, demonstrating early financial independence in a household without substantial inherited wealth.[2] This background of economic pragmatism, rooted in his parents' small-business experiences, shaped his perspective on opportunity and labor, as he later referenced in congressional reports emphasizing support for entrepreneurial families.[10] No information is publicly available regarding siblings or extended family influences on his formative years.Academic pursuits
Crow attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 while supporting himself through minimum-wage jobs and enlistment in the National Guard.[7][2] After completing his military service, including combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crow pursued legal education at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor in 2009.[7][11] No specific academic honors or extracurricular pursuits during his studies are documented in official records.[7]Military service
Enlistment and initial training
Crow enlisted in the United States Army National Guard shortly after graduating from high school to help finance his college education at the University of Denver, where he worked minimum-wage and construction jobs concurrently.[2][12] As an initial enlistee, he completed basic combat training, which covered fundamentals such as marksmanship, physical conditioning, and the military chain of command. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, Crow transitioned to active duty in the Regular Army, joining the 82nd Airborne Division.[4][2] This shift entailed additional initial training, including airborne qualification at the United States Army Airborne School at Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Georgia, where he earned his paratrooper wings through a three-week course involving rigorous jumps, navigation, and tactical maneuvers.[8] Subsequently, Crow attended the U.S. Army Ranger School, an elite 61-day leadership course emphasizing small-unit tactics, endurance, and combat skills across swamp, mountain, and desert phases, qualifying him as a Ranger-tabbed soldier.[8][13] These trainings prepared him for platoon leadership roles, culminating in his commission to captain during service.[14]Combat deployments
Crow deployed to Iraq in 2003 as a platoon leader of paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division, participating in combat operations during the initial invasion, including engagements in southern Baghdad.[15][4][16] Following this tour, Crow transitioned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he completed two additional combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.[2][6] These tours involved special operations missions typical of Ranger units, though specific operational details remain classified or undisclosed in public records.[17] Crow attained the rank of captain during his active-duty service from 2002 to 2006 and received the Bronze Star Medal for valor in combat.[2][8]Post-service transition and honors
Following his final combat deployment, Crow retired from the U.S. Army as a captain.[2] He received the Bronze Star Medal for valor during his service in Iraq.[2][18] Upon returning to civilian life, Crow encountered personal difficulties in navigating the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits system, which prompted him to assist fellow veterans facing similar transition challenges.[2] This advocacy work informed his subsequent pursuit of a legal career, where he specialized in supporting service members and was named Denver's Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year for efforts aiding military transitions.[2]Pre-congressional career
Legal practice
Following his discharge from the U.S. Army in 2006, Crow enrolled at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, earning a Juris Doctor degree in 2009.[4] He subsequently joined Holland & Hart LLP, a regional law firm with its Denver office, where he practiced from 2009 until 2018.[8] [19] At Holland & Hart, Crow specialized in white-collar defense and corporate compliance, assisting companies and individuals nationwide with internal investigations, regulatory compliance, and related litigation matters.[20] In 2016, he co-authored an article on the "art and science" of conducting corporate internal investigations, emphasizing the balance between thorough fact-finding and legal strategy.[21] He was elected to the firm's partnership effective January 1, 2017, alongside six other attorneys.[20] Crow's legal work drew attention during his 2018 congressional campaign, with critics noting Holland & Hart's prior lobbying on behalf of firearm-related clients, though no direct involvement by Crow in such activities was documented.[22] He left the firm to focus on his political bid, representing clients primarily in Denver until his election to Congress.[8]Advocacy and public service
Following his discharge from the U.S. Army in 2006, Jason Crow pursued advocacy for veterans through public service roles. He served as a volunteer member of the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs from September 2009 to April 2014, appointed during his time as a law student and early in his legal career.[23][24] During his tenure on the board, Crow contributed to initiatives addressing veterans' needs, including advocacy for constructing a new VA hospital in Aurora, Colorado, and developing a facility at Fort Lyon to combat veteran homelessness.[24] The board oversaw the state's Veterans Trust Fund, which provided emergency financial aid, medical transportation, and programs for homelessness prevention, and issued annual reports—such as the 2013 edition—documenting challenges like extended VA claims processing times and recommending policy enhancements.[23] Crow attended 32 of 51 board meetings, achieving roughly 63% attendance, with 14 of his 19 absences formally excused by the board chair; critics later highlighted the absences in political advertising, though fact-checks deemed claims of neglect misleading given the excused nature and his broader involvement.[23][24] His efforts earned accolades, including the Colorado Bar Association's Volunteer Lawyer of the Year award in 2010 and an Outstanding Service Award in 2011 for veteran support.[24] Beyond the board, Crow undertook pro bono legal work aligned with community service goals and addressed national audiences by speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention to endorse Barack Obama's reelection, emphasizing themes of service and national security.[19] These activities reflected his focus on bridging the military-civilian divide and aiding service members' transitions.[11]Political campaigns and elections
2018 election
Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger and attorney, announced his candidacy for Colorado's 6th congressional district on April 11, 2017, positioning himself as a challenger to incumbent Republican Mike Coffman, who had held the seat since 2009.[25] Crow emphasized his combat experience in Iraq and advocacy for veterans in his campaign launch.[26] In the Democratic primary election held on June 26, 2018, Crow defeated Levi Tillemann, a former State Department official and renewable energy entrepreneur, capturing 67.5% of the vote (39,651 votes) to Tillemann's 32.5% (19,089 votes). Crow's victory was bolstered by significant fundraising, having raised over $1 million by March 2018 and reporting $883,747 in cash on hand in the first quarter, compared to Tillemann's $91,920.[27] Crow faced Coffman in the general election on November 6, 2018, in a district encompassing Denver's eastern and southern suburbs, which had leaned Republican but showed increasing Democratic strength.[28] Crow won with 168,927 votes (53.4%) to Coffman's 146,191 votes (46.2%), with minor candidates receiving the remainder, marking a flip of the seat to Democratic control amid a national midterm wave favoring Democrats.[29] Crow's campaign raised approximately $4.1 million overall, outpacing Coffman's $2.9 million, according to Federal Election Commission data.[30] The race was rated competitive by nonpartisan analysts, with Crow's veteran status and focus on issues like veterans' affairs and gun violence prevention resonating in the suburban electorate.[31]2020 reelection
Incumbent Jason Crow faced no challengers in the Democratic primary election on June 30, 2020, receiving unanimous support from voters in Colorado's 6th congressional district.) In the general election on November 3, 2020, Crow defeated Republican nominee Steve House, a former Colorado Republican Party chairman, and Libertarian Gary Waller. Crow received 258,921 votes (73.04%), House garnered 87,352 votes (24.65%), and Waller obtained 8,419 votes (2.38%), with total turnout exceeding 354,000 ballots amid high national participation rates influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The district's Democratic lean, evidenced by a Cook Partisan Voter Index rating of D+8, contributed to Crow's decisive margin, expanding on his 2018 victory. Crow's campaign emphasized his military service, bipartisan record, and response to local issues like veterans' affairs and infrastructure, bolstered by endorsements from the Denver Post and veterans' organizations.[32] He raised approximately $3.88 million for the 2019-2020 cycle, dwarfing House's fundraising and enabling extensive advertising in the suburban district encompassing Aurora and Centennial.[33] House campaigned on fiscal conservatism and criticism of Crow's alignment with national Democratic policies, but polled consistently behind in pre-election surveys. The race saw minimal outside spending compared to more competitive Colorado contests, reflecting the district's safe status for Democrats.[33]2022 reelection
Incumbent Jason Crow won the Democratic primary for Colorado's 6th congressional district on June 28, 2022, receiving 100% of the vote with 61,074 ballots cast, as he faced no challengers. His Republican opponent, Steve Monahan, a former Naval aviator, similarly secured the nomination unopposed in the Republican primary, garnering 47,556 votes. The district, encompassing parts of the eastern Denver metro area including Aurora, had been redrawn after the 2020 census but remained reliably Democratic-leaning, with Crow benefiting from strong incumbency and fundraising advantages. In the general election campaign, Crow emphasized his experience on national security committees, support for stricter gun violence prevention measures—citing the district's history with the 2012 Aurora theater shooting—and military-related priorities such as amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act and climate resilience at bases.[34] Monahan, a veteran who had previously run unsuccessfully for state house, focused on economic issues like reducing the trade deficit and eliminating green energy subsidies, stricter immigration enforcement to address border-related crime and trafficking, and an "all-of-the-above" energy policy including nuclear power; he expressed openness to discussions on gun control while defending Second Amendment rights.[34] Crow raised over $2.7 million in campaign receipts, dwarfing Monahan's $258,000, which contributed to Crow's dominant position in a district rated as safely Democratic by analysts. Libertarian candidate Eric Mulder also appeared on the ballot, advocating limited government principles. On November 8, 2022, Crow secured reelection to a third term, defeating Monahan and Mulder decisively in a contest reflecting the district's partisan tilt amid national midterm dynamics favoring Republicans in competitive races elsewhere.| Candidate | Party | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Crow | Democratic | 170,140 | 60.6% |
| Steve Monahan | Republican | 105,084 | 37.4% |
| Eric Mulder | Libertarian | 5,531 | 2.0% |
| Total | 280,755 | 100% |