Former Boulder school board president Kathy Gebhardt held an early lead in the Democratic primary for a seat on the Colorado State Board of Education on Tuesday despite a group supporting charter schools spending nearly $1 million to oppose her campaign and support political newcomer Marisol Lynda Rodriguez.
The preliminary results for the 2nd Congressional District seat on the state education board almost certainly ensure either Gebhardt or Rodriguez will have a seat on the board as there is no Republican candidate in the race. Whoever wins will replace board member Angelika Schroeder, whose six-year term ends in January.
“It shows that money can’t buy an election,” said Gebhardt, adding, that the results so far showed that “people were stepping up for public education.”
As of 7:46 p.m., Gebhardt led with 36,666 votes, or 55.26% of the total. Rodriguez had 29,683 votes, or 44.74%.
“There are a lot of votes to still be counted and we’re just monitoring results as the night goes on,” Rodriguez said, adding, “It’s a close race.”
The race drew scrutiny for its potential impact on the future of charter schools in Colorado, but both candidates pushed back on such comments, each saying they support school choice, and therefore, charters, which are public schools that have more autonomy than traditional, district-run schools.
But that didn’t stop a single political action committee called Progressives Supporting Teachers and Students from spending $871,970 in the race, according to campaign finance reports. The group, which has charter school ties, supported Rodriguez and opposed Gebhardt.
The committee has spent more than 20 times as much as a union-backed group has in the race. The Colorado Labor Action, which is partly funded by the Colorado Education Association, has spent more than $42,300 on mailers opposing Rodriguez, according to finance reports.
Rodriguez was viewed as the candidate most likely to back charter schools when they appeal local districts’ decisions to reject their applications. She previously worked for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the Walton Family Foundation, a backer of charter schools nationwide.
Gebhardt, an attorney, served two terms on the Boulder Valley School Board. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Association of School Boards.
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The spending by both groups comes as outside groups have spent millions to influence Democratic primary races in and around metro Denver.
Last year, groups and donors — most of whom backed education reform and charter schools — spent more than $2 million in the Denver Public Schools board race.
The Republican primary for the board seat representing the 4th Congressional District, based in Parker, was the only other contested race for the state Board of Education. Kristi Burton Brown, the former chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party, led with 42,534 votes, or 52.91% of the total. Saundra Larsen had 37,860 votes, or 47.09%.
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