CO Sen. Hansen is moving to Durango but has not announced when he will leave his current position.

Denver Senator Chris Hansen, who was recently reelected for his second term, has been offered a new job as the CEO of the Durango-based electric authority. However, it is currently unclear when he will officially resign from his position as a Senator.

The La Plata Electric Association announced on Tuesday that Hansen has accepted the role of CEO. The agenda for an upcoming board meeting also includes a formal welcome and introduction for Hansen. In September, the board discussed offering the position to an unnamed candidate.

Despite attempts to reach out to both the company and Hansen, no recent messages have been returned. However, Hansen did speak to the Durango Herald on Tuesday and mentioned his plans to resign sometime in the coming months, possibly during the week of January 9th.

This timing may cause some concern as the 2025 legislative session begins on January 8th, leaving Denver without a Senator for the start of the session. In a statement, Hansen confirmed that he will be taking on the new role as CEO but did not provide any further details about his future in the Capitol.

He stated, "Over the coming weeks, I will continue to serve my constituents and district. I am currently working through the details of my remaining time in the Senate."

Hansen, who won 84% of the vote in last week's election, previously served two terms in the state House before moving to the Senate in early 2020. He was also a candidate for Denver mayor in 2023, but was eliminated in the first round of voting.

News of Hansen's new job has been circulating among Democratic circles for the past week. When he does officially resign, a Democratic vacancy committee will choose his replacement. However, the committee chairs have not responded to requests for comment.

There are several potential contenders for the vacant Senate seat, including Representative Steven Woodrow who represents Denver's Washington Park neighborhood. Woodrow confirmed his interest in running for the position and has been speaking with members of the vacancy committee.

He stated, "A large portion of the district is familiar to me. I have effectively represented both districts at the Capitol."

However, there are also rumors that Hansen has been working to support another potential candidate, Representative-elect Sean Camacho, behind the scenes. Camacho, who defeated incumbent Representative Elisabeth Epps in the Democratic primary, was officially elected last week. Both Hansen and Woodrow endorsed Camacho's campaign.

Woodrow expressed concern about Hansen's involvement in supporting Camacho, stating, "Senator Hansen has made it clear that he supports Representative-elect Camacho. I'm not sure how that will be received."

Camacho has not yet responded to requests for comment, but he did mention on Thursday that he is considering running for Hansen's seat. He stated, "I am still thinking about it. I have heard the rumors like everyone else, but I cannot confirm my plans at this time."

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