Scanlan to be Majority Whip

Rep. Christine Scanlan, D-Summit County, will be the new majority whip of the House.

The announcement by incoming speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, is an effort by the Democratic majority to assure that its leadership team is representative of rural Colorado.

“I am proud to announce that our caucus has elected yet another smart, Western Colorado woman to a leadership post," Carroll said. "Rep. Scanlan has a deep and broad understanding of the issues that affect all Coloradans, especially education, forest health and transportation issues. Rep. Scanlan will help lead our caucus as we fight for the middle-class, for job creation, and for economic stability in Colorado. I am thrilled that she has joined our leadership team.”

Scanlan, who was appointed to the House in 2007 and elected to a full term in November, said that Democrats will focus on the economy in 2009.

“One thing should be clear: when this leadership team of men and women, Front Range and West Slope, lawyers and ranchers, comes together in January, we are going to spend every day working to create jobs, jobs and more jobs," she said. "As different as we are, that's our common goal: to strengthen this economy and get Coloradans working, creating a more stable economy for future years.”

Carroll was elected speaker in November after the leading candidate to replace current speaker Andrew Romanoff of Denver, Bernie Buescher of Grand Junction, lost his re-election bid.