Whose star is on the rise, and whose best has passed them by – sometimes through no fault of theirs? As The Colorado Politics team looked to what’s likely to come in the 2021 session, we ranked the state officials.

Scroll down to see the top and bottom 10:

WHO’S HOT

1. House Speaker Alec Garnett: Plays well with others, banked mucho goodwill as majority leader.

2. Speaker Pro tem Adrienne Benavidez. Considered a fast-rising favorite by her caucus and by the business community, a moderate rarity for Democrats these days.

3. Rep. David Ortiz. The first lawmaker in a wheelchair who already has prompted better access for those with disabilities at the Capitol. 

4. Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert. A thoughtful peacemaker who enjoys the respect, though not always the agreement, of adversaries.

5. Rep. Brianna Titone. State’s first transgender lawmaker was reelected over the same opponent by a wider margin in 2020.

6. Sen. Bob Rankin. The senior member of the Joint Budget Committee will be a cost-and-benefit broker to Democrats and fellow Republicans. 

7. Sen. Kevin Priola. The moderate Republican proved he was here to stay by overcoming a huge Democratic advantage in his district this year.

8. Rep. Leslie Herod. The bipartisan bill-passing machine has more firepower than ever as the newest member of the Joint Budget Committee. 

9. Rep. Iman Jodeh. The first Muslim and Palestinian-American to hold statewide elected office in Colorado, as well as a widely respected community activist. 

10. House Minority Leader Hugh McKean. See Garnett. You don’t attain leadership making too many enemies. 

WHO’S NOT

10. Rep.-elect Ron Hanks. He failed to vacate the House floor before he was even a member during the special session, earning bipartisan reviews as an unnecessary disruptor.

9. Rep. Patrick Neville. He bet wrong in the primaries and it cost him his leadership position, which he resigned before the election when the writing was on the wall. 

8. Sen. Steve Fenberg. The Senate majority leader is the traffic cop over legislation that Republicans say is veering wildly left.

7. Rep. Dave Williams. The rabble rouser is poised to lead the hard-right wing of the House GOP, but he’s never been one to pick his battles cautiously. 

6. & 5. Rep. Dylan Roberts and Sen. Kerry Donovan. Authors of the public option face skeptical allies and determined foes, inside and outside the statehouse, if they try again this year.

4. Sen. Larry Liston. His mask mockery in the House during the special session will follow him to the Senate, it appears.

3. The Joint Budget Committee. Call it the group of zero, because that’s how much new money they can share this year.

2. Gov. Jared Polis. In year three of his first term, the historic governor has made enemies in business, his favorite people, managing the state budget, oil and gas regulations and the pandemic response.

1. Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg. He was able to make headway on rural Colorado with Hickenlooper, but he’s battered and bruised by Polis.