This story was first published at Colorado Newsline.
DENVER | Democratic Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet announced Tuesday that she will step down from the Colorado Senate.
Part of her Senate District 21 includes north Aurora.
“I always aspire to serve with joy, humility, and guided by the will of my constituents,” the Commerce City Democrat said in a statement. “I am so thankful to the people of Senate District 21 for their trust, to my colleagues in the House and Senate for their partnership on legislation both big and small, and to my family for their perseverance and grace at every step of this journey.”
Michaelson Jenet is the Senate president pro tempore, meaning she fills in for Senate President James Coleman when needed.
She was first appointed to the Senate in 2023 to replace Dominick Moreno and then won reelection in 2024. She was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2016.
During her tenure, Michaelson Jenet sponsored legislation to create the state’s I Matter program, which offers six free counseling sessions for Colorado children. She also ran the bill to set up Colorado’s free school breakfast and lunch program. She was one of the few Jewish lawmakers at the Legislature.
“I have also been a proud representative and leader within Colorado’s Jewish community, using my position to share and celebrate our identity, history, and faith,” she said.
She plans to work as the director of the David and Laura Merage Foundation for Confronting Antisemitism, a local organization founded in 2024. A job posting lists the salary at $150,000 to $175,000.
Democrats in Senate District 21 will need to pick a replacement for the seat through the vacancy committee process.