Sal Pace
Encyclopedia
Sal Pace is a legislator in the U.S. state
of Colorado
. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2008, Pace represents House District 46, which encompasses western Pueblo, Colorado
. Pace is also the Colorado House Minority Leader.
, majoring in political science and later appointed by the State Board of Agriculture to serve on a search committee for a Fort Lewis College president. He then attended Louisiana State University
, earning a master's degree in American Political Theory.
Pace has taught American government at Pueblo Community College
and CSU-Pueblo and served as a legislative aide to Rep. John Salazar
in the Colorado House of Representatives, where he worked on water and health care legislation. When Salazar was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Pace continued to work for him, as a District Director, a Congressional staffer, and as the manager of Salazar's 2006 re-election campaign.
Pace has also served on the Pueblo City Schools (D60) Strategic Plan Core Team, as an organizer for Enable America, as a Colorado Democratic Party Regional Director in 2002, and is a member of Sons of Italy of Southern Colorado.
Following his election, Pace requested that the state auditor investigate the bidding process for a new Colorado Department of Corrections headquarters, in which Pueblo's bid was rated last of five bids, despite being the least expensive.
with their sons Wyatt and Carlo.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2008, Pace represents House District 46, which encompasses western Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. Pace is also the Colorado House Minority Leader.
Early life, education and career
Pace, the youngest of nine children, moved to Colorado as a teenager. He attended Fort Lewis CollegeFort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College is a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado.-History:Military FortThe original site of Fort Lewis College began southwest of its present location back in 1880. Set up originally as a Military Fort for the 22nd Regimental Infantry which occupied the land from...
, majoring in political science and later appointed by the State Board of Agriculture to serve on a search committee for a Fort Lewis College president. He then attended Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, earning a master's degree in American Political Theory.
Pace has taught American government at Pueblo Community College
Pueblo Community College
Pueblo Community College is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Pueblo, Colorado. PCC traces its history to the founding of Southern Colorado Junior College in 1933. In 1937 SCJC became part of the Pueblo County Junior College District, and was renamed Pueblo Junior College...
and CSU-Pueblo and served as a legislative aide to Rep. John Salazar
John Salazar
John Tony Salazar is the former Congressman for , serving from 2005 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Following his service in Congress, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the Cabinet of Governor John Hickenlooper in 2011.-Early life,...
in the Colorado House of Representatives, where he worked on water and health care legislation. When Salazar was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Pace continued to work for him, as a District Director, a Congressional staffer, and as the manager of Salazar's 2006 re-election campaign.
Pace has also served on the Pueblo City Schools (D60) Strategic Plan Core Team, as an organizer for Enable America, as a Colorado Democratic Party Regional Director in 2002, and is a member of Sons of Italy of Southern Colorado.
2008 election
Pace won the nomination at the Pueblo County Assembly, keeping his lone opponent off the ballot, while receitving greater than 70% of the delegate vote. Pace faced no opposition in the August Democratic primary, or the November 2008 general election. After winning a term in the legislature in November 2008, Pace was elected Assistant Majority Caucus Chair by state house Democrats.Following his election, Pace requested that the state auditor investigate the bidding process for a new Colorado Department of Corrections headquarters, in which Pueblo's bid was rated last of five bids, despite being the least expensive.
2010 election
Pace encountered no competition in the Primary election. His opponent, failed City Council Candidate, Steven Rodriguez, failed to mount any type of campaign. Representative Pace outraised his opponent nearly 4-to-1. With 100% of precincts reporting, Pace easily won re-election 69 to 31 percent. Pace was elected by his peers as House Minority Leader for the next general assembly beginning in January 2011.Tenure
For the 2009 legislative session, Pace served on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. Pace sponsored legislation to remove Social Security benefits and severance pay as reasons for lowering state unemployment benefits. Just prior to the start of the 2010 legislative session, Pace was named vice-chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.Personal life
Pace is married; he and his wife, Marlene Valdez Pace, live in Pueblo, ColoradoPueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
with their sons Wyatt and Carlo.