, ▁which ▁he ▁lost ▁to ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁Mark ▁U d all . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁C inc inn ati , ▁Ohio ▁and ▁raised ▁Catholic . ▁He ▁attended ▁Arch bishop ▁Mo eller ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁public - school ▁teachers , ▁Sch af fer ▁worked ▁his ▁way ▁through ▁college ▁as ▁a ▁farm ▁hand . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Day ton ▁with ▁a ▁B . A . ▁in ▁Political ▁Science . ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁awarded ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁Management ▁from ▁Colorado ▁Techn ical ▁University . ▁ ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Senator ▁Sch af fer ▁served ▁for ▁nine ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Senator ▁in ▁the ▁Colorado ▁General ▁Assembly . ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁only ▁ 2 5 ▁years ▁old ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁finish ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Senator ▁Jim ▁Beat ty ' s ▁term , ▁making ▁Sch af fer ▁the ▁young est ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁Colorado ' s ▁Senate . ▁As ▁a ▁Colorado ▁Senator , ▁he ▁was ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Fin ance ▁Committee , ▁the ▁State ▁V eter ans ▁and ▁Military ▁Affairs ▁Committee , ▁and ▁the ▁Local ▁Government ▁Committee . ▁Sch af fer ▁also ▁was ▁the ▁Vice - Ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Education ▁Committee . ▁Sch af fer ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁" National ▁Republican ▁Legisl ator ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁for ▁ 1 9 9 5 " ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Republican ▁Legisl ators ▁Association