in december 2006, outgoing rep. dan grossman resigned from the legislature slightly before the end of his term because of newly enacted ethics laws. instead of appointing romer to the remainder of grossman's term, gov. bill owens appointed donna r. johnson, grossman's long-time legislative aide, to the remaining month of the senate term. romer supported her brief appointment as a state senator and was sworn in himself on january 10, 2007.