Ken Summers

Kenneth Guy Summers (born November 12, 1953 ) is a retired Colorado legislator. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006, Summers represented House District 22, including southern Lakewood, Colorado, and portions of Jefferson County from 2006 to 2012.

Biography Born in Denver, Colorado, He earned a bachelor's degree in business education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1976, and was a business teacher at Englewood High School for two years before beginning a career in Christian ministry.

Summers earned a master's degree in nonprofit management from Regis University in 2005 and served as the executive director of Teen Challenge of the Rocky Mountains from 2006 to 2013. He has also served on the board of Arapahoe Credit Union in Littleton, Colorado Shortly before Super Tuesday in February, he was announced as a Jefferson County chair for Romney's campaign.

Legislative career

2006 election Summers faced Democrat Jayson Haberkorn, an elementary school teacher, in the 2006 race for the 22nd house district seat. Summers was endorsed by the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post. Summers won in the Republican-leaning district with 53 percent of the popular vote.

Summers sponsored a resolution declaring Colorado Charter Schools Week in April 2007, and unsuccessful legislation to allow individuals to deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses from taxable income.

2008 legislative session In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Summers sits on the House Education Committee and the House Local Government Committee.

For the 2008 legislative session, Summers has sponsored legislation to restrict the eminent domain power of Denver's RTD, after the transit agency attempted to take property used by private businesses along a new rail line. Another of Summers' bills would have required voters to present photo identification, but was killed in committee. He has also introduced bills to create performance incentives for public school teachers, and to facilitate the continuation of specialized license plates for state colleges.

2008 election Summers sought a second term in the 2008 Colorado legislative elections, running against Democrat Camille Ryckman. His re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post, and he won with 54 percent of the popular vote.

2009 legislative session For the 2009 legislative session, Summers was named to seats on the House Education Committee and the House Finance Committee. Shortly before the beginning of the session, Summers was also named to an ethics panel charged with investigating allegations of vote-buying on the part of Rep. David Balmer in a house leadership election.

Summers plans to sponsor legislation to provide tax credits to investors in startup companies that stem from university research projects. Summers also reintroduce his legislation to require photo IDs in order to vote, a measure which was killed in committee on a party-line vote. Summers also sponsored legislation to limit damages collected by uninsured drivers in automobile accidents.

2010 legislative session Summers sponsored an overhaul of the state's food stamp system, now known as SNAP with centrist Jefferson County Democrat Sara Gagliardi. The measure, House Bill 1022, underwent extensive revisions due to its contentious nature. As introduced, it would have expanded food stamp eligibility, removed an asset test, extended the certification period for food assistance, and created an outreach plan to pair private volunteer groups with the government in order to promote awareness of SNAP and to help counties deal with increased caseloads. Though the original bill proved expensive in light of the state's dire economic forecast, subsequent amendments brought costs under control while still preserving the core of the measure. After a lengthy period in negotiation, the measure was passed 52–10 in the House, and 22–12 in the Senate. Once signed into law, 1022 became the new backbone of Colorado's food assistance program.

2010 election

2011 legislative session

2012 legislative session

Representative Summers announced that he would not seek re-election to the Colorado House, and would instead run for the state senate in district 22.

2012 election In the 2012 General Election, Representative Summers faced Democratic opponent Andy Kerr, also a fellow member of the Colorado House, in the race for the Colorado State Senate District 22 seat. Kerr was elected to the Senate by a narrow margin of 52% to 48%.

2017 election Summers faced Gordon Coombes in the 2017 race for the Fort Collins City Council district 3 seat. He won with 54 percent of the popular vote.