Andrew Romanoff

DENVER--Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff (D-Denver) spoke out strongly in favor of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's economic plan Monday, while blasting Republican nominee John McCain for being "out of touch" with middle-class Coloradans.

Romanoff, who backed U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) during the Democratic presidential primaries earlier this year, said Obama's focus on a new energy economy "means 32,000 new jobs under an Obama administration, right here in Colorado."

"The McCain tax plan, on the other hand, would leave 72 percent of Colorado's households - or nearly 1.7 million people in this state - without any tax relief at all," Romanoff said during a press conference at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Denver.

State House Speaker Andrew RomanoffColorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff brushed off speculation about him being appointed Colorado Secretary of State should Mike Coffman be elected to Congress as expected.

Speaking with PolitickerCO.com Wednesday, Romanoff said it was a matter to worry about after the general election.

"I'm really focused on the November election, ballot measures I'm working on -- it's not been a top priority," Romanoff said. "My brain is full."

With Mike Coffman heavily favored to be elected to Congress this fall, speculation is rising about who would succeed him as Colorado Secretary of State.

As Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter would appoint Coffman’s successor, many Republicans fear Coffman’s departure would cause the GOP to lose yet another statewide office to the Democrats. Such feeling was exploited –unsuccessfully, as it turned out – by Coffman’s Republican primary opponents.

Carroll said so far she hasn’t seen any jockeying for the position among Democrats.

I haven’t heard on the Democratic side who is speaking for themselves saying ‘I want to run,’” Carroll said.

Generations of Colorado political insiders will tell the story of Douglas Bruce and how one very dumb and probably impulsive move forever defined an ultimately short political career.   Bruce won a special election to the State House of Representatives in 2007 and immediately got into a tiff with Speaker Andrew Romanoff over the details of his inauguration.  Bruce wanted the full House present, but Romanoff preferred – and mandated – a smaller swearing in ceremony when the House was not in session. 

It's time once again for our monthly update of the Top Ten Power Positions by the Inside Edge's very own Wally Edge. This month we get a new player on the board and Dick moves up one spot!

Who's up? Who's down? Check out our picks for this week's major political players, the winners and the losers.

As we do at the first of every month, today we update our Top Ten Power Positions in Colorado politics. Tom Wiens dropped off our board because he announced he won't be running for re-election. And the brother of another Top Ten politicker made our list for the first time.

State Rep. Douglas Bruce has been ordered to stay away from a female Capitol staffer who lodged a sexual harassment complaint against the Colorado Springs Republican.

The staffer filed the complaint because of an alleged comment and contact Bruce made, the Denver Post reported.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff (D-Denver) handed Bruce a letter on the House floor Thursday; Bruce was visibly upset by the letter, the Post reported.