08 Nov 2012
Mark Ferrandino becomes the first gay lawmaker. The Democrats now control the house by 37-28 majority. The Republicans who controlled the house for the past two years lost their foot in Tuesday’s elections.
Nominations for the post of the speaker would officially opened on January 9th, the day polls would be opened for voting.
“I am so humbled by this nomination,” an emotional Ferrandino has said.
The Denver Democrat talked about his childhood, where he was bullied and had to overcome learning disabilities. He said he never dreamt during those troubling times he would go on to this kind of honor.
“This should be a coronation as opposed to a nomination,” said Rep. Pete Lee of Colorado Springs, when he nominated Ferrandino.
He lauded Ferrandino’s leadership on a number of topics, his knowledge of the budget and his work on getting Democrats back in the majority.
Lee also mentioned the drawing of new House boundaries that helped Democrats achieve their victory.
In the House Republican caucus, Mark Waller of Colorado Springs was nominated as minority leader.
Outgoing Speaker Frank McNulty of Highlands Ranch congratulated Ferrandino shortly before the Democrats started their caucus and nomination for leadership positions.
Ferrandino’s nomination comes six months after the dramatic death of his civil-unions bill in the Republican-controlled House, and two decades after Colorado became known as the “hate state” for passing a ballot measure concerning workplace discrimination that was deemed anti-gay. Amendment 2 was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Currently, California and Rhode Island have gay House speakers, said Denis Dison, of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. He said
Oregon’s next speaker likely will be a lesbian, a first in the country.
Source: Denver Post
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