By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
Rep. Rose Pugliese will again serve as Colorado House Minority Leader, following an unopposed election to the position Friday, Nov. 8.
She will be joined in Republican House leadership by Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, Minority Whip Ryan Armagost and Caucus Chair Anthony Hartsook.
As the House Republican leader, Pugliese pledged to continue a practice of inclusion of all voices within the caucus from all areas of the state.
“We have made decisions together,” she said. “I think it is important to have each member of the caucus have a voice.”
Pugliese headed up a Republican caucus of 19 members in the 74th Legislative Session, and continues to hope a few yet to-be-decided races fall in Republicans’ favor to give her more membership.
“We want to make our way to being a stronger caucus,” she said.
In seconding Rep. Rick Taggart’s nomination of Pugliese, Western Slope Rep. Matt Soper specifically noted attention to transparency under Pugliese, and added “it hasn’t always been that way.”
Rep. Ron Weinberg said “there’s no better man for the job” before nominating Rep. Winter for assistant leader. Multiple times members of the caucus called each other “brothers” in advance of a nomination. Winter represents a rural Southeast Colorado district from Pueblo to Trinidad and east to the state line.
Winter also has pledged inclusion in the Republican caucus.
“I promised no more square tables, always round tables,” he said. “My office has always been open to anybody.”
Soper, who represents Mesa and Delta counties on the far Western Slope, praised the election of Winter: “It is good to have all areas of Colorado represented.”
Once coined by Democrats as the “Cattle King of the Legislature,” gone is Rep. Richard Holtorf as the Republican whip. Elected in his place is Rep. Ryan Armagost, who Holtorf wholeheartedly supports for the role.
“We always said that I was the whip and he was the whit — the ‘whip in training’. I was hoping he would get it,” Holtorf said.
Winter, who nominated Armagost, noted his efforts to grow Republican membership in the caucus.
“He’s been instrumental in all we’ve done to prop up candidates,” Winter said. “He’s been instrumental up north in electing candidates.”
Armagost represents a district including Larimer and Weld counties. He noted a “great rapport” with Republican leadership, “and leadership across the aisle.”
“I will continue to hold Democrats accountable and represent our constituents,” Armagost said. “I will continue to be blunt, fair and humorous. I will be the first person here and last person out, day in and out.”
He takes the reins of whip from Holtorf, who was out with cattle in the snow Friday morning on his Northeastern Colorado ranch where he claimed to have received enough snow since Election Day for 1.5 inches of mud. He offered the following to Armagost: “You’re the tip of the spear when it comes to the floor work. You formulate the caucus plan with leadership and then you whip support for bills we want to support.”
The final position of Republican House caucus chair was the only opposed election. Rep. Hartsook was elected by a 13-6 vote over Rep. Mary Bradfield, who had previously served in the role.
“I’ve known Tony for a decade,” said District 56 Rep. Chris Richardson. “He is on the House floor what he is as a person. He’s a no-nonsense guy and a strategic thinker.”
Bradfield thanked Republicans for allowing her to chair the caucus in the 74th session.
“I have worked hard as caucus chair,” she said.
Colorado House Democrats were slated to meet at noon Friday to select their leadership.
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