Kathy Gebhardt defeats opponent backed by “overwhelming” dark money to win Colorado State Board of Education primary

Former Boulder college board president Kathy Gebhardt gained the Democratic major for a seat on the Colorado State Board of Schooling on Tuesday, regardless of a gaggle supporting constitution faculties having spent almost $1 million to oppose her marketing campaign and again political newcomer Marisol Lynda Rodriguez.

The preliminary outcomes for the 2nd Congressional District seat on the state training board nearly actually guarantee Gebhardt will win the seat in November as there is no such thing as a Republican candidate within the race. She’s going to exchange board member Angelika Schroeder, whose six-year time period ends in January.

“It reveals that cash can’t purchase an election,” mentioned Gebhardt, including that the outcomes to date confirmed that “folks had been stepping up for public training.”

As of 10:15 p.m., Gebhardt led with 43,156 votes, or 56% of the entire. Rodriguez had 33,911 votes, or 44%.

Rodriguez informed The Denver Put up that she referred to as Gebhardt to concede shortly earlier than 9 p.m.

“I feel I ran a very wonderful race,” she mentioned. “I’m actually grateful for all the supporters that I had.”

Gebhardt mentioned Gov. Jared Polis, who had endorsed Rodriguez, referred to as her Tuesday night to congratulate her on her win. The governor is a constitution college founder and beforehand served on the State Board of Schooling.

“We put a chip within the armor of ‘cash should purchase seats,’ ” she mentioned, calling the quantity of darkish cash spent in her race “overwhelming.”

“We’ve proven that folks’s voices are stronger than cash,” Gebhardt mentioned.

The race drew scrutiny for its potential affect on the way forward for constitution faculties in Colorado, however each candidates pushed again on such feedback, every saying they assist college selection, and subsequently, charters, that are public faculties which have extra autonomy than conventional, district-run faculties.

However that didn’t cease a single political motion committee referred to as Progressives Supporting Academics and College students from spending $871,970 on the race, in response to marketing campaign finance stories. The group, which has ties to constitution faculties, supported Rodriguez and opposed Gebhardt.

Rodriguez would have introduced a perspective that’s “not represented sufficient” on the board, which is that of a mother or father with school-aged youngsters, mentioned Kyle DeBeer, who was listed as an agent for the committee and is vp of civic affairs for the Colorado League of Constitution Faculties.

“One of many issues — regardless — it’s heartening to see each candidates within the race, in closing days, specific assist for high-quality public faculties,” he mentioned, noting that each candidates informed The Put up final week that they assist college selection and constitution faculties.

The committee spent greater than 20 instances as a lot as a union-backed group has within the race. The Colorado Labor Motion, which is partly funded by the Colorado Schooling Affiliation, spent greater than $42,300 on mailers opposing Rodriguez, in response to finance stories.