Two Colorado Dems mum on leadership

washington» U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday won another term as the top Democrat in the House, but how much support she received from the Colorado delegation remains an open question.

Her victory was far from unanimous — challenger Tim Ryan of Ohio received 63 votes to Pelosi’s 134 — and the drop in support for the California congresswoman came amid assertions that Democrats needed new leadership following their showing on Election Day.

Do Colorado Democrats agree? Hard to say.

Only one of the three House Democrats from Colorado revealed their choice. U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette of Denver and Jared Polis of Boulder both refused to say who they backed for minority leader.

Only U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Arvada made public his preference: Ryan.

“Tim Ryan’s bid for Minority Leader started a conversation,” Perlmutter said in a statement. “And in the face of this year’s election results, it was a necessary conversation to have and one that I hope will lead to some fundamental change within our caucus.”

In a statement, Polis said it wouldn’t be “productive” to announce his decision.

“At this point, it is not productive to discuss who voted for whom,” he said. “We are united as a Democratic caucus, we have a deep bench and we are ready to move forward.”

DeGette was similarly circumspect, and as a rationale said she had a “laser-like” focus on a medical research bill that passed the House on Wednesday.