KC Becker Named Next Colorado House Speaker

DENVER (AP) — Colorado's House majority leader, KC Becker, has been elected speaker by fellow Democrats for the 2019 legislative session.
5 p.m.

Becker was chosen Thursday during party caucus in which Democrats marked their increased House majority.

The party also flipped Colorado's Senate in Tuesday's elections.

Rep. Alec Garnett of Denver will replace Becker as majority leader. Jefferson County Rep. Chris Kennedy was selected assistant majority leader, and Rep. Edie Hooten of Boulder County was named caucus chair.

House Speaker Crisanta Duran was limited after serving four House terms and could not seek re-election.
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2:20 p.m.

Republican Chris Holbert of Douglas County will be Senate minority leader in Colorado's 2019 legislative session.

Republicans, cast into the Senate minority in Tuesday's elections, also chose Sen. John Cooke of Greeley as assistant minority leader and Sen. Vicki Marble of Fort Collins as GOP caucus chair.

In the Democrat-led House, Rep. Patrick Neville of Douglas County remains minority leader. Rep. Kevin Van Winkle of Highlands Ranch was chosen assistant minority leader. Firestone Rep. Lori Saine becomes GOP caucus chair.

The major party caucuses chose new leadership on Thursday.

Democrats will control both chambers as well as the governorship won by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis.
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11:45 a.m.

Pueblo's Sen. Leroy Garcia will serve as president of a Colorado Senate taken over by Democrats in this week's election.

Garcia was chosen Thursday by the 19-member Democratic Senate caucus.

Democrats eliminated an 18-17 GOP majority in the 35-member chamber.

That completed a Colorado statehouse trifecta with Democrat Jared Polis' gubernatorial win and a hefty Democratic majority in the House.

Sen. Lois Court of Arapahoe County was named president pro-tem. Sen. Steve Fenberg of Boulder County and Sen.-elect Faith Winter of Westminster were elected majority leader and caucus chair, respectively.

Democrats will hold a 19-16 majority when the Senate next convenes in January.

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