Three state lawmakers running for Congress are among 37 Democrats who received a 100 percent ranking on the Colorado AFL-CIO’s 2011 legislative scorecard released Thursday.
The scores measure the percentage of time lawmakers agreed with the labor group’s position on legislation.
Phil Hayes, Colorado AFL-CIO political and legislative director, said GOP lawmakers this year scored higher than in previous sessions.
“We have a divided legislature, so in order to pass things, you had to force compromise and do things that were in the best interest of the state and try to check your ego and your partisanship at the door,” Hayes said.
Democrats control the Senate 20-15, and Republicans control the House 33-32. The scorecard showed 85 percent of Senate Democrats and 63 percent of House Democrats received a perfect score.
The legislation ranged from bills regarding unemployment insurance to those covering collective bargaining.
The three Democrats running for Congress are Senate President Brandon Shaffer of Longmont, House Minority Leader Sal Pace of Pueblo and Rep. Joe Miklosi of Denver.
Speaker of the House Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, scored 47 percent this session, nearly double his lifetime score of 26 percent.
“If this means the AFL-CIO is starting to move toward actually working on behalf of creating a better business environment in Colorado and to help put Coloradans back to work, then that’s an improvement on their part,” McNulty said.
In the Senate, Jean White of Hayden received the highest score among Republicans, with 68 percent, while the lowest went to Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, with 29 percent. As for Democrats, Pat Steadman of Denver and Cheri Jahn of Wheat Ridge were virtually tied at 93 and 94 percent, respectively.
Rep. Robert Ramirez of Westminster, whose victory in a swing district in 2010 gave the GOP the House majority, scored the highest among Republicans, with 48 percent. Reps. Wes McKinley of Walsh and Sue Schafer of Wheat Ridge tied for the lowest score among Democrats, with 79 percent.
Some lawmakers wore the low rankings as a badge of honor.
Upon hearing news of the scorecard, Republican Sen. Greg Brophy of Wray tweeted: “pls say I’m last.”
He wasn’t. Brophy scored 50 percent, with a lifetime score of 26 percent of voting for labor-backed issues.
“We’ll obviously have to work much harder next year to make sure his score is lower,” Hayes joked.
Justin T. Hilley: 303-954-1064 or jhilley@denverpost.com
