Cory Gardner

Cory Scott Gardner (born August 22, 1974) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Colorado from 2015 to 2021. A Republican, he was the U.S. representative for Colorado's 4th congressional district from 2011 to 2015 and a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011. As of 2026, he is the last Republican to serve Colorado in the U.S. Senate. Gardner narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Mark Udall in the 2014 Senate race. Gardner was chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 2017 to 2019. After the 2018 midterm elections, he and University of Colorado Regent Heidi Ganahl became the only Republicans to hold statewide elected office in Colorado. Gardner ran for re-election in 2020, but lost to former Governor John Hickenlooper. He currently serves as president of NCTA - The Internet and Television Association, the trade group representing cable companies.