November 14, 2014 09:52 AM UTC

Dickey Lee Hullinghorst Elected Speaker of the Colorado House

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #2: House Democratic Majority Office press release:

Meeting this morning to organize for the upcoming legislative session, the 28 returnees and 6 newly elected members of the House Democratic caucus for the 70th General Assembly designated Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst to be speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. 

The caucus also elected Rep. Crisanta Duran (D-Denver) as majority leader, Rep. Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City) as assistant majority leader, Rep. Angela Williams (D-Denver) as caucus chair, Rep. Mike Foote (D-Lafayette) as assistant caucus chair, Rep. Su Ryden (D-Aurora) as whip and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood) as deputy whip. 

“People will tell us that a split legislature will place many challenges in our path,” Rep. Hullinghorst said after the vote. “I prefer to regard these as opportunities to succeed. We have the opportunity to work across the aisle in the House, and with the Senate, to develop bipartisan legislation that moves Colorado forward.”

…Speaker-designate Hullinghorst was majority leader in the 69th General Assembly, managing the House calendar through two of the most productive Colorado legislative sessions in memory. 
  
She is beginning her fourth and final term representing House District 10, which includes eastern Boulder and parts of unincorporated Boulder County, including Gunbarrel, where she lives. When she is formally elected on opening day, Jan. 7, to succeed the term-limited Speaker Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver), Rep. Hullinghorst will become the first speaker from Boulder County since 1880. 

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UPDATE: The Denver Post's Lynn Bartels:

Colorado House Democrats on Friday elected the first all-female top leadership team in state history.

Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst of Boulder was elected by her caucus to serve as the powerful speaker, a post she will officially take over when the legislature convenes Jan. 7…

"There are those who look at a split chamber as a huge challenge," she said. "I prefer to look at this as an opportunity."

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That's the word from Democratic House majority leadership elections this morning. Rep. Crisanta Duran defeats Rep. Dan Pabon to become the next House Majority Leader, Rep. Dominick Moreno beats Rep. Beth McCann for assistant majority leader. Rep. Angela Williams wins the post of caucus chair over Rep. Lois Court.

We'll update with a statement from House Democrats and other coverage shortly.