September 04, 2013 09:40 AM UTC

Merida Exits Denver School Board Race

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• by: Colorado Pols

Updating the ever-contentious Denver School Board races, via Great Ed Colorado:

Andrea Merida, who represents District 2 on the Denver Public Schools board, announced Thursday that she is ending her re-election bid, citing her displeasure with the influence of national campaign contributions to board races and the increased role of federal policies in district-level decision-making…

…Merida’s withdrawal leaves union organizer Rosario C. de Baca battling former City Council President Rosemary Rodriguez for the southwest Denver board seat. In June, de Baca won the endorsement of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association over Merida, whom the union had endorsed in her initial run. Rodriguez is a well-known Denver figure who is currently the state director for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, the former DPS superintendent who launched a slate of reforms now championed by Boasberg.

Whatever Merida's stated intent for leaving the DPS race, it was clear that she had little chance of winning re-election in November. Merida could not have been elected in 2009 without the financial support of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, and losing that endorsement (as well as failing to get other notable endorsements) meant that she was going to have a difficult time finding the resources to run a competitive race this fall. The combative Merida has made an inordinate number of political enemies in a short time, and leaving what would seem to be an unwinnable race probably saves her from more attacks surrounding her infamous DPS credit card "overages."