Colorado Democratic state Sen. Evie Hudak resigns rather than face recall vote

Resigning the day before Thanksgiving was apparently an attempt at minimizing the negative publicity for the Democratic party, but, more importantly, her resignation allows Democrats to keep her seat without a new election and a committee of county Democrats to appoint her successor.  From the Denver Post:

Her announcement comes as proponents of the recall were wrapping up a petition drive in which they needed to submit about 18,900 valid signatures to the secretary of state's office. If enough signatures had been ruled valid, Hudak would have been the third Colorado lawmaker to face a recall election this year because of her support for tougher gun laws. . . . 

Hudak won a tough re-election bid in 2012, winning her northern Jefferson County seat by fewer than 600 votes over Republican Lang Sias. Conventional wisdom said she wouldn't survive a recall if it were put to a vote.

If that happened, Democrats would lose control of the Colorado Senate; with Morse and Giron gone and Republicans taking their seats, Democrats now only have an 18-17 edge.  . . .

Gun-rights activists in Colorado and nationally ripped Hudak for her inartful questioning of a rape victim during a hearing in March on a bill to ban weapons on campus. The woman told lawmakers that had she been permitted to use her concealed-carry permit and carry her gun on campus, the e incident may have ended differently.  . . .