Schaffer New Chair of State Board of Education

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, was designated by his colleagues as chair of the state Board of Education today, according to the Denver Post.

Schaffer was elected unanimously by the seven members of the board.

There are four Republicans and three Democrats on the Board of Education.

Schaffer, 46, represented the state's 4th district in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1997-2003. He unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., in 2008. Schaffer had previously sought the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate against Pete Coors in 2006.

Schaffer was a Colorado state senator between 1987 and 1997.