Perlmutter Wins, DeGette Loses

The Democratic House election of their leaders for the 2019-20 session has provided the platform that picked winners and losers in Colorado’s delegation and likely will affect party politics of 2020.

Nancy Pelosi will be the Speaker, and although that has been assumed for weeks in spite of a handful of dissidents, Ed Perlmutter, one of the hold-outs, managed to craft the compromise that the party has been looking for. According to the Perlmutter formula, Pelosi will serve no more than two additional terms. She initially resisted a term-limit, arguing it would hurt her clout to represent the House and ability to control the caucus. But, two terms pushes the date after the next election and secures her position of authority.

Perlmutter, who had a mercurial 2017 with his ill-fated announcement and withdrawal for governor, is now back in position as the leader of the delegation.

Unfortunately for Diana DeGette, Colorado’s longest serving member, her ambition to become the Democratic Caucus Whip was stymied quickly by the previous Whip, Jim Clyburn (currently Assistant Democratic Leader), and his allies in the Black Caucus. Clyburn, who will return to the Whip job when Democrats take over, just removed DeGette from the Deputy Whip position she’s held for 14 years. After 11 terms, the undercurrent among Denver Democrats suggesting it’s time for her retirement is likely to get louder.

Hence, Perlmutter is now a frontrunner to take on Senator Gardner, if he’s interested, and DeGette may be nearing the end.

Ed Perlmutter and Diana DeGette

Read The Hill: DeGette dropped from chief deputy whip spot