GOP winner in Jefferson County gives Republicans majority in state House of Representatives

Jefferson County elections officials have officially certified the victory of Republican Robert Ramirez in district 29, cementing a one-vote majority for the GOP in the state House of Representatives.

Ramirez, a U.S. Navy veteran who holds an associates degree in business administration, defeated incumbent Debbie Benefield by 197 votes out of more than 25,000 cast.

His victory will give the GOP a 33-32 advantage in the lower chamber of the General Assembly when the next legislative session starts in January.

Democrats retained control of the state Senate in elections held earlier this month.

Republicans picked up one seat in that chamber as Rep. Ellen Roberts of Durango defeated Democratic Sen. Bruce Hesperus of Hesperus.

Ramirez joins Mark Barker of Colorado Springs, Don Beezley of Broomfield, Kathleen Conti of Littleton, and Libby Szabo of Arvada as Republican victors over Democratic House incumbents.

The GOP's Keith Swerdferger of Pueblo West won the seat now held by term-limited Democrat Buffie McFadyen.

Besides Benefield, Democrats Dennis Apuan, Sara Gagliardi, Dianne Primavera, and Joe Rice were defeated in Tuesday's election.

Photo of Rep.-elect Robert Ramirez, R-Westminster, courtesy of Ramirez for Colorado.

House Gives Preliminary Nod to Teacher Identifier Pilot Project

Some of the state's teachers and principals will be assigned a tracking number, and the academic achievements of their students correlated with those educators' years of experience and other personal information, under a bill given preliminary approval by the House Tuesday.

HB 1065 would create a pilot project, to be employed in at least three of the state's school districts, that would aim to use information about educators' training, experience, and professional continuing education affect their performance.

The bill is not controversial, at least not publicly. It was recommended by the Quality Teachers Commission in a report issued last summer.

According to that report, the identifier program should not be used to punish a teacher or principal or play any role in their job evaluations. HB 1065 includes language stating that "the data obtained from the pilot program shall not be used to negatively sanction individual educators."

The Quality Teachers Commission is to recommend whether to expand the program to all of Colorado's school districts and make it permanent by the end of 2010.

The Quality Teachers Commission was created by the legislature in 2007.

HB 1065 is sponsored by Rep. Debbie Benefield, D-Arvada, and Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial.