When Republican John Boehner becomes the latest speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, he’ll be ushering in a more austere era, starting with a modest celebration expected to stand in “stark contrast to the more lavish festivities” that accompanied Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s swearing in four years ago, writes The Washington Post. Though Pelosi will be in attendance, two of her Democratic colleagues from Colorado, John Salazar and Betsy Markey, will not after being overcome by the Tea Party wave that crashed the midterm elections.

As Salazar reportedly considers the possibility of serving as Governor-elect John Hickenlooper’s commissioner of agriculture, Markey has a few choice words to share, particularly that she regrets nothing she did as the first Dem in 34 years to have represented the state’s sprawling 4th Congressional District. While Markey’s replacement, Cory Gardner, says the passage of sweeping health-care reform, a stimulus bill, and environmental initiatives led to Markey’s demise, the fiscally conservative Markey disagrees in an interview with the Loveland Connection.

“I don’t think there’s any one particular vote that necessarily hurt me. I think it was a tough year all around,” she says, adding, “The fact of the matter is if you look at the races around the country, 63 Democrats lost. People like my friend from Idaho, Walt Minnick, who was the only Democrat who was endorsed by the Tea Party, who voted against the stimulus bill, voted against the energy bill, voted against health care, and lost anyway.”