Ritter loses his first cabinet member

David Skaggs stepped down on Friday as head of higher-ed in Colorado. This is the first member of Ritter's cabinet to resign.

Higher-ed is a very tough post. As a state our funding issues in higher-ed are well known and that presents huge challenges in good times and we're far from good times. Add in the fact that Ritter has placed (or at least had a hand in placing) two Republicans with strong personalities at the top of our two flagship universities and its not a big surprise to hear that Skaggs was having issues with the governor and the university presidents.

David Skaggs has served this state very well as both a congressman and at the Department of Higher Education. I wish him the best.

As for who might replace him my guess is that the governor's education policy guru, Dr. Matt Gianneschi, would be at the top of the list.