Colo. state senator resigns to avoid recall

A Colorado state senator has resigned her post to avoid facing a recall election that could flip control of the state Senate, according to local reports.

Her decision allows a Democratic committee to appoint a replacement and avoid a recall, giving Democrats hold of the chamber until at least next year’s elections, when her replacement will be up for reelection.

According to FOX31 Denver, state Sen. Evie Hudak announced her decision on Wednesday, “in the interest of preserving the progress made over the last year,” she said in her letter of resignation.

Two other Democratic state senators were ousted earlier this year in recall elections launched because of their support for gun control measures. Outside groups on both sides of the gun control issue poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race, which became a proxy battle for the larger debate over gun control raging nationwide.

Hudak said in her resignation letter she was resigning to protect gun control laws she sponsored and supported.

“Most Coloradans believe that the convenience of high-capacity ammunition magazines is less important than saving lives in tragedies like Sandy Hook, Aurora and Columbine,” she wrote. “That’s why I sponsored SB 13-197, a bill that takes guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. … By resigning, I am protecting these important new laws.”

Hudak had not yet been subject to a recall, but organizers of the recall effort said earlier this week that they were close to turning in the required signatures to launch the process. Signatures were due on Dec. 3.

According to Fox31 Denver, state Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D) is one possible replacement for Hudak.