Mike Kopp

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mike Kopp
Mike Kopp
Member of the Colorado State Senate
from the 22nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office 
January 4, 2007[1]
Preceded by Kiki Traylor
Political party Republican
Spouse Kimberly
Profession consultant
Religion Protestant[2]

Mike Kopp (born c. 1969[3]) is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Elected to the Colorado State Senate as a Republican in 2006, Kopp represents Senate District 22, which encompasses southern Jefferson County.[4]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born in South Dakota,[2] Kopp enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from high school. A paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, Kopp trained to become a member of the United States Army Rangers,[5] graduating from Ranger School in 1990. Kopp also completed the Army Basic Leadership Course that same year.[6] While in the Army, Kopp was deployed to Honduras in support of Operation Just Cause,[5] as well as in the Gulf War in Operation Desert Storm.[7] He was honorably discharged in 1991 at the rank of Sergeant, having also received two Army Commendation Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Army Achievement Medal. [5]

While pursuing higher education, Kopp worked with fire-fighting crews for the National Park Service.[5] He graduated in 1995[6] with a bachelor's degree in ministry from North Central University in Minneapolis.[2] He also worked for two years as a clerk in the United States Border Patrol's Detention and Deportation Division.[5]

Following graduation, Kopp worked in the non-profit and ministry fields in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. He is currently the principal of ForwardThink Strategies, a non-profit consulting firm specializing in non-profit, charter school, and ministry development.[5] He is also pursuing a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado Denver Graduate School of Public Affairs.[6]

Kopp is married; he and his wife, Kimberly, have four children: Meghan, Ethan, Allie-Grace,[2] and Soren (named after philosopher Soren Kierkegaard).[8] He resides in Ken Caryl Ranch near Littleton, Colorado.[5]

[edit] Legislative career

[edit] 2006 election

In 2006, Kopp sought election to the state senate seat formerly held by term-limited Sen. Norma Anderson. Anderson had retired from her senate seat a year early, and Kiki Traylor had been appointed to the seat.[9] Kopp had sought the vacancy appointment, protesting that the vacancy committee met with insufficient notice and was composed of only five committee members.[10] Kopp faced Traylor and Justin Everett in a three-way Republican contest,[9] and won 52 percent of the vote at the Republican party assembly to qualify for the primary; Traylor and Everett petitioned onto the primary ballot.[10]

Kopp ran as a more conservative candidate than Traylor, criticizing her positions on spending and immigration.[11] During the race, a supporter of the Kopp campaign filed, and later withdrew, a campaign finance complaint against Traylor[12] regarding a donation from a teacher's union that Traylor refused to accept.[13] Kopp received endorsements from former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong and former Colorado Senate President John Andrews.[14] Kopp achieved a narrow victory, taking 45 percent of the vote over Traylor's 44 percent, with and Everett receiving 8 percent.[15] Citing tactics used by Kopp and his supporters, Traylor refused to endorse fellow Republican Kopp in the general election, even after a request from Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez.[16]

Despite the district's strong Republican registration advantage,[4] Kopp's right-leaning views and division among Republicans made the seat an attractive target for Colorado Democrats[17]; he faced Democrat Paul Noonan, a business consultant, in the general election.[18] Kopp won the senate seat with 53 percent of the popular vote.[4]

Incumbent Sen. Traylor resigned slightly before the end of her term, in late December 2006. Kopp was appointed by a Republican Party vacancy committee to fill the remainder of Traylor's term, and was sworn in as a state senator on January 4, 2007.[1]

[edit] 2007 legislative session

Bills Introduced in 2007 by Sen. Kopp
(for which Sen. Kopp is the primary originating sponsor)
BILL TITLE OUTCOME
SB07-042    Concerning the enrollment of a member of the armed forces in the Motorcycle Operators Safety Training Program. Signed by Gov. Ritter
SB07-086 Concerning a War on Terror Fallen Heroes Memorial, and making an appropriation therefor. Signed by Gov. Ritter
SB07-090 Concerning county authority to vest title to a vacated roadway. Signed by Gov. Ritter
SB07-125 Concerning funding for certain workers' compensation funds. Postponed indefinitely in Senate committee

In the 2007 session of the General Assembly, Kopp served on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Education Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.[19]

During the session, Kopp, the only Gulf War veteran in the Colorado legislature,[20] introduced legislation to create a memorial for Colorado soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan near the state capitol.[21] Kopp also lead opposition to a Democratic resolution opposing the 2007 Iraq troop surge, introducing a competing resolution[22] and leading a pro-war rally at the state capitol.[23]

Following the 2007 session, Kopp served on a school reform task force convened by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter,[24] and on the interim legislative Health Care Task Force.[25]

In November 2007, Senate Republicans elected Kopp minority caucus chair, following the resignation of Sen. Ron May[26]

[edit] 2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the General Assembly, Kopp serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Education Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.[27]

During the 2008 session, Kopp plans to sponsor bills to create a sales tax holiday for school supplies,[28] to require students to pass standardized tests as a requirement for graduating from high school,[29] to provide income tax credits for volunteer firefighters,[30] and to create wildfire training programs for fire district boards.[31] He was also the Senate sponsor of a measure to create an interim committee to study wildfire risks in the wildland-urban interface, calling it the "most pressing public-safety issue before the state."[32][33]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b S:\PUBLIC\SEN\2007A\Jour\jour.001
  2. ^ a b c d Senator Mike Kopp (html). Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  3. ^ Francis, Jeff. "Senate District 22", MileHighNews.com, 28 September 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  4. ^ a b c State Senate District 22 (html). COMaps. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Meet Mike Kopp. Senator Mike Kopp, Senate District 22. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  6. ^ a b c Mike Kopp - Colorado - State House District 22 candidate (html). RockyMountainNews.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  7. ^ Colorado Senate News (19 April 2007). "Senate embraces Kopp's bill to memorialize fallen Coloradans". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  8. ^ Profile: Senator Mike Kopp. Colorado Senate News. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  9. ^ a b Frates, Chris; Mark P. Couch. "Vote 2006", Denver Post, 30 July 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  10. ^ a b Staff Reports. "Blake: A 'promise' that wasn't", Rocky Mountain News, 5 April 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  11. ^ Bartels, Lynn. "Right wing flies high", Rocky Mountain News, 10 August 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  12. ^ Frates, Chris. "Finance complaint heats Jeffco GOP primary", Denver Post, 24 July 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  13. ^ Washington, April M.. "Traylor catches flak for check", Rocky Mountain News, 21 July 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  14. ^ Staff Reports. "GOP Sen. Traylor defeated; Tochtrop beats back Vigil", Denver Post, 10 August 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  15. ^ Election Results - Summary Report
  16. ^ Bartels, Lynn. "Outgoing GOP senator won't back primary foe", Rocky Mountain News, 25 October 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  17. ^ Ewegen, Bob. "Democrats yearn for another hat trick", Denver Post, 6 October 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  18. ^ Brown, Jennifer. "State House: Capitol leans more in Dems' direction", Denver Post, 8 November 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  19. ^ Senate Committees of Reference. Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  20. ^ Staff Reports. "Roll Call, May 1", Rocky Mountain News, 1 May 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  21. ^ Staff Reports. "Under the dome", Denver Post, 20 April 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  22. ^ Clausing, Jeri. "GOP ready to fight over resolution on Iraq", Denver Post, 9 March 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  23. ^ Clausing, Jeri. "War of words grips statehouse", Denver Post, 15 March 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  24. ^ Paulson, Steven K.. "Statewide school tests still getting mixed grades a decade later", Denver Post, 5 December 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  25. ^ Health Care Task Force. Colorado Legislative Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-27.
  26. ^ Associated Press. "Littleton senator elected to head GOP state Senate Caucus", Denver Post, 21 November 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  27. ^ Senate Committees of Reference. Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  28. ^ Washington, April M.. "Tax holiday", Denver Post, 28 September 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  29. ^ Gonzalez, Erika. "GOP offers get-tough education plan", Rocky Mountain News, 17 October 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  30. ^ Sacccone, Mike. "Two lawmakers push tax credit bill to help volunteer firefighters", Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 26 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  31. ^ Hanel, Joe. "Bills pursue tax breaks for fire mitigation", Durango Herald, 20 January 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  32. ^ Ingold, John. "Panel would assess wildfire risks", Denver Post, 17 April 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-17. 
  33. ^ Gathright, Alan. "Alarm sounded: Prepare for long, dangerous summer", Rocky Mountain News, 16 April 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-17. 

[edit] External links

Current members of the Colorado State Senate

1st: Greg Brophy (R)
2nd: Kenneth Kester (R)
3rd: Abel Tapia (D)
4th: Tom Wiens (R)
5th: Gail Schwartz (D)
6th: James Isgar (D)
7th: Josh Penry (R)
8th: Jack Taylor (R)
9th: David Schultheis (R)

10th: Bill Cadman (R)
11th: John Morse (D)
12th: Andy McElhany (R)
13th: Scott Renfroe (R)
14th: Bob Bacon (D)
15th: Steve Johnson (R)
16th: Dan Gibbs (D)
17th: Brandon Shaffer (D)
18th: Ron Tupa (D)

19th: Sue Windels (D)
20th: Maryanne Keller (D)
21st: Betty Boyd (D)
22nd: Mike Kopp (R)
23rd: Shawn Mitchell (R)
24th: Lois Tochtrop (D)
25th: Stephanie Takis (D)
26th: Steve Ward (R)
27th: Nancy Spence (R)

28th: Suzanne Williams (D)
29th: Bob Hagedorn (D)
30th: Ted Harvey (R)
31st: Jennifer Veiga (D)
32nd: Chris Romer (D)
33rd: Peter Groff (D)
34th: Paula Sandoval (D)
35th: Ken Gordon (D)
Democrat (20 seats) | Republican (15 seats)