By Todd Engdahl
(From Ed News Colorado, November 12th, 2012)
Like every interest group that endorsed candidates in Colorado legislative races, education advocacy organizations have been toting up their wins and losses in Tuesday’s election.
The major lesson is that backing Democrats was more likely to put a group on the winning side.
The election saw Democrats retake control of the state House with a 37-28 margin while Democrats held their 20-15 majority in the Senate.
Education News Colorado reviewed 14 legislative contests in which at least two education-related groups – one union-affiliated and one “reform” – endorsed and/or contributed to candidates.
The groups included the American Federation of Teachers, Democrats for Education Reform, the Colorado Education Association and its local affiliates, and Stand for Children.
Here’s the tale of the tape:
AFT: Backed 14 candidates, 12 won
DFER: Backed nine candidates, seven won
CEA et al: Backed 13 candidates, 11 won
Stand: Backed 11 candidates, five won (all five supported Republicans lost, plus one Democrat)
The first three groups lost their bets in two hotly contested southern Colorado races where Republicans came out on top, House District 47 and Senate District 35. Stand also backed the Democrat in the latter district.