Simplify the following text for a Grade 12 native English-speaking person.
Original: Moving to Colorado , where he became a practicing attorney , PeÃ a was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1979 , where he rose to become Minority Leader .
Simplified: Moving to Colorado , where he became an attorney , PeÃ a was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1979 , where he became the Minority Leader .