We hear congratulations are in order for Gov. Polis, who has asked partner Marlon Reis to marry him.

After a 17-year long relationship.

Polis proposed moments before a very ill Reis was taken to the emergency room with COVID-19.

Then Polis waited three months before making the engagement public.

Yes, we are not-so-silently judging.

Timing is everything, and this appears off. 

Go ask your mother what she would say if someone asked for your hand under the same circumstances.

Go ahead, we’ll wait.

We’ve actually been operating under the impression the two were already married, as the title of First Gentleman was bestowed upon Reis after Polis was sworn into office.

After consulting with our politically correct source, Mr. Google, we learn that it’s now acceptable to refer to the unmarried significant others of governors and the president as First Lady or Gentleman.

Nonetheless, we don’t recall John Hickenlooper’s then-girlfriend Robin Pringle having the title First Lady when Hick was still governor. 

Historically, the First Lady or Gentleman was the married spouse. If the elected official was single, then a child or other relative served as official host or hostess and were titled as the First Gentleman or Lady.

But times have changed.

Granted, gay marriage wasn’t even legal in the U.S. until 2015, a year after it was legalized in Colorado. So for a decade of their relationship, marriage wasn’t even in the cards.

Why they chose to wait another seven years is their business.

But we can’t help notice the timing of the secret, three-month engagement being announced this week, which just happens to coincide with a renewed scrutiny of Polis’s long-time partner. 

Polis is in dutch with Colorado’s multi-billion livestock industry for urging his constituents to ditch meat and celebrate processed vegetarian food on March 20, which the governor has declared “MeatOut Day.”

The media and those industry folks were just starting to take a renewed interest in the influence of Polis’s partner on the governor’s decisions.

Further, critics of MeatOut Day believe the Governor’s action was influenced by his spouse, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, who is vegetarian and an animal rights activist.

Nonetheless, we’re happy for the First Couple, and look forward to their wedding day.