DENVER – Colorado House Democrats on Friday elevated Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst to speaker, preparing to say a farewell to beloved Speaker Mark Ferrandino.
Hullinghorst, a strategic lawmaker from Boulder, promised to follow the lessons of Ferrandino by working across the aisle to move Colorado forward. The outgoing speaker from Denver, who is term-limited, will hand the gavel over to Hullinghorst when the legislative session begins in January.
“That’s what we’re all about, is to serve the people and build a stronger Colorado,” Hullinghorst said.
She was elected unanimously and becomes the first woman to serve as speaker for the Democratic caucus.
“That’s all I’m going to ask of you as speaker, is that you continue the great tradition of our outgoing speaker,” Hullinghorst said.
She will take over in a split legislature after Republicans took control of the Senate after the election. Republicans hold a one-seat majority in the Senate.
Democrats lost several seats in the House, but they were able to hang onto control. They currently hold a 34-31 majority, but one race remains outstanding – the House District 30 seat held by Rep. Jenise May, D-Aurora. Democrats held a 37-28 majority the last two legislative sessions.
One of the seats that could be lost this year is House District 59 held by Rep. Mike McLachlan of Durango. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio, could take back control of the seat if he holds his lead in a rematch against McLachlan.
Ferrandino said the next legislature must work together in order to build a better Colorado.
“I know with your leadership and with Rep. Hullinghorst leading this caucus, you are going to do amazing things for the state of Colorado,” Ferrandino said.
While Hullinghorst was elected unanimously, most of the caucus’ other leadership races were contested.
Current Assistant Majority Leader Dan Pabon of Denver faced off against Rep. Crisanta Duran, also from Denver, for majority leader. Duran, a member of the powerful Joint Budget Committee, won the contest.
She has often found herself in the political spotlight, but promised to work with Republicans.
“To our friends on the other side of the aisle, we hear the ideas that you brought forth in this election, and we look forward to working with you,” Duran said.
After the match, Pabon offered his full support to Duran, suggesting the caucus must move forward in a unified fashion. He wrote an opinion piece for The Denver Post that appeared Wednesday. The thrust of the piece was, “In Colorado, it’s time to govern together.”
“The pundits say we can’t govern when one party controls one chamber and another party controls another. But we will because our responsibility to govern is far more important than partisan gamesmanship or petty politics,” Pabon told his colleagues Friday.
House Democrats also selected Rep. Dominick Moreno of Commerce City to serve as assistant majority leader, Rep. Angela Williams of Denver as caucus chairwoman, Rep. Mike Foote of Lafayette as assistant the caucus chairwoman, Rep. Su Ryden of Aurora as majority whip, and Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Lakewood as deputy majority whip.
Hullinghorst said she is taking names for appointments to the JBC. With Duran moving to leadership, and May likely losing her race, there would be two vacancies on the budget-crafting committee.
House Republicans selected their leadership Nov. 7, once again choosing Rep. Brian DelGrosso of Loveland to lead them as minority leader.
Senate Republicans selected their leadership Tuesday, electing Sen. Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs to serve as president.
Senate Democrats are expected to elect their minority leadership today. It’s still unclear whether current Senate President Morgan Carroll of Aurora will seek the position of minority leader, or step aside.
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
