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So how is it that he resignation doesn't lead to an election? Why would only democrats get to decide who replaces her?

I would also love to know what logic there is in her statement that she resigned to protect the important anti-gun legislation. How does resigning protect it?

The Annoyed Man wrote:So how is it that he resignation doesn't lead to an election? Why would only democrats get to decide who replaces her?

Because that's the way Colorado law is set up to replace legislators who don't complete their term through resignation (or death, I'll wager). This is not uncommon in the US. In some states the party precinct chairs caucus to select a replacement, sometimes an election is held. For US Senate vacancies, the governor appoints a replacement until an election is held.

jimlongley wrote:I would also love to know what logic there is in her statement that she resigned to protect the important anti-gun legislation. How does resigning protect it?

The Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the Colorado Senate. If she were replaced by recall and special election of a Republican, the Dems would lose this majority and the Republicans could vote to repeal the anti-gun legislation that the Dems passed. By resigning, she allows the Democrat Governor to appoint another Democrat, thus maintaining a Demo majority and preventing the Reps from trying to repeal the anti-gun legislation recently passed.

ELB wrote:The Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the Colorado Senate. If she were replaced by recall and special election of a Republican, the Dems would lose this majority and the Republicans could vote to repeal the anti-gun legislation that the Dems passed. By resigning, she allows the Democrat Governor to appoint another Democrat, thus maintaining a Demo majority and preventing the Reps from trying to repeal the anti-gun legislation recently passed.

Yep, will of the people be darned, they have a political party to protect.

Hickenlooper is ripe for defeat. All CO needs a viable alternative...

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/p ... 00079.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

By a 7-point margin, 49 percent to 42 percent, more voters say that Hickenlooper does not deserve reelection than think he does deserve another term. The Democrat’s approval rating stands at 48 percent, compared with 46 percent who disapprove.

ELB wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:So how is it that he resignation doesn't lead to an election? Why would only democrats get to decide who replaces her?

Because that's the way Colorado law is set up to replace legislators who don't complete their term through resignation (or death, I'll wager). This is not uncommon in the US. In some states the party precinct chairs caucus to select a replacement, sometimes an election is held. For US Senate vacancies, the governor appoints a replacement until an election is held.

jimlongley wrote:I would also love to know what logic there is in her statement that she resigned to protect the important anti-gun legislation. How does resigning protect it?

The Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the Colorado Senate. If she were replaced by recall and special election of a Republican, the Dems would lose this majority and the Republicans could vote to repeal the anti-gun legislation that the Dems passed. By resigning, she allows the Democrat Governor to appoint another Democrat, thus maintaining a Demo majority and preventing the Reps from trying to repeal the anti-gun legislation recently passed.

OK, and they obviously can't recall the appointee. I wonder if there are other targets for recall.

Would be interesting if this happened with more of them before their next election. As I understand what they've said, the appointee will only be able to serve until the next election cycle and can either run on his or her own or not at all, but the seat would be up for a vote at that time regardless. If they did this for more state dems that had more than 1-2 years left on terms they could have the chance to replace them all next year.