Face The State Staff Report
While Democrats had much to celebrate Tuesday night, their top state leader, Gov. Bill Ritter, saw a pet ballot measure fail and a key House ally fall in a western slope upset.
RitterFTS Staff Photo
In Grand Junction, underdog candidate Laura Bradford topped state Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, who was rumored to be the next Speaker of the House, by 583 votes.
"The success of our campaign was rooted in Buescher's strong ties to Gov. Ritter, who's not popular over here," she said.
Ritter has seen his popularity in western Colorado plummet in recent weeks in the wake of his proposed mill levy tax increase, ruled unconstitutional in district court and now being considered by the Colorado Supreme Court. In addition, his proposed severance tax measure, Amendment 58, was shot down by 58 percent of voters last night.
"It's not like I can create Mr. Buescher's record," Bradford said, who heavily criticized Buescher for his support of the mill levy tax. "It was blatantly tied to Ritter's agenda."
Republicans picked up a seat in state House District 30 which covers most of Adams County. Kevin Priola is taking over for term-limited state Rep. Mary Hodge. He beat Democrat Dave Rose 52 percent to 47 percent.
In another close race, Jefferson County's hotly contested Senate District 19 also went to a Democrat. State Board of Education member Evie Hudak beat Republican Libby Szabo 51 percent to 49 percent. Democrat Sue Windels, who vacated the seat due to term limits, saw her bid for Jefferson County Commissioner fall short last night.