Ideological tides shift in four key districts

The tale of Tuesday’s changes in school board politics was told in four key districts — Jefferson County, Douglas County, Thompson and Colorado Springs District 11.

Here’s a quick look at board member turnover and more about those districts:

Jefferson County

Board control: Conservatives are totally out of power.

Winners and losers: Incumbent conservatives Ken Witt, Julie Williams and John Newkirk were recalled by wide margins. A slate composed of Brad Rupert, Susan Harmon and Ron Mitchell took those seats. Two other slate members, Ali Lassell and Amanda Stevens, were elected to two open seats not involved in the recall. (See story)

Money: The challengers, who received significant financial support from teachers union committees, outraised the incumbents. Some observers estimate total spending in the races at $1 million, spent by a long list of candidate committees, issue committees and independent groups.

Voter interest: 45.5 percent turnout. About 59,000 Democrats, 66,000 Republicans and 56,000 unaffiliated voters cast ballots.

Douglas County

Board control: Holdover conservative members have a 4-3 majority. Board vice president Doug Benevento said Tuesday, “The new board has obvious differences but we all care for our kids and our schools. In the coming days and months, I hope we can unite and move forward around that common sentiment.”

Winners and losers: The insurgent slate of Wendy Vogel, Anne-Marie Lemieux and David Ray easily defeated incumbents Craig Richardson, board president Kevin Larsen and Richard Robbins.

Money: The successful challengers also raised significantly more money than the incumbents. But the finance picture in the races is murky because some outside committees don’t have to file disclosures until January, and others don’t have to report at all.

Voter interest: 39.7 percent voter turnout. More than 19,000 Democrats, 47,851 Republicans and 23,000 unaffiliated voters participated.

Thompson

Board control: Conservatives lose it. The most immediate impact may be a softening of tensions between the board and the local teachers union.

Winners and losers: Incumbents Pam Howard and Denise Montagu, in the minority on the old board, were re-elected. Former board member Jeff Swanty and newcomer Dave Levy won seats vacated by two conservative incumbents, Donna Rice and Bob Kerrigan, who didn’t run for reelection.

Money: Substantial amounts of funding poured into the campaigns, included a total of more than $61,000 raised by candidates, at least $50,000 in union funds, $195,000 in advertising by the outside group Thompson Students First and additional five-figure spending by other outside groups, according to the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

Voter interest: 34.6 percent turnout in Larimer County, of which the district is a part. About 24,000 Democrats, 30,603 Republicans and 24,000 unaffiliateds voted.

Colorado Springs District 11

Board control: Status quo.

Winners and losers: Incumbents Elaine Naleski and Nora Brown and ally Martin Herrera held off a challenge from conservatives Jeff Kemp, Karla Heard-Price and Dan Ajamian. Theresa Null, wife of term-limited board member Bob Null, also was elected.

Money: Brown, Naleski and Herrera raised $10-$11,000 each, including union contributions. There was considerable outside spending, including $58,000 in advertising provide by the outside group D-11 Taxpayers for Accountability in Education, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Voter interest: 41.6 percent turnout in El Paso County. Republican turnout exceeded Democrats and unaffiliateds combined in the county as a whole, which contains 15 school districts.

Elsewhere around the state

Individual conservative candidates were unsuccessful in the Adams 12-Five Star and Mesa 51 districts. There were two conservative candidates in Aurora, Monica Colbert and Grant Barrett. Colbert was elected. Both candidates were backed by the low-profile nonprofit Ready Colorado.

In Steamboat Springs, candidates backed by the local teachers union, Michelle Dover and Margaret Huron, won election, along with incumbent Joey Andrew. Two other incumbents didn’t seek reelection. Huron and Dover campaigned on a platform to “keep controversial school reform out of Steamboat,” according to Steamboat Today.