Leroy Garcia
President of the Colorado Senate
In office
January 4, 2019 – February 22, 2022
Preceded byKevin Grantham
Succeeded bySteve Fenberg
Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate
In office
March 22, 2018 – January 4, 2019
Preceded byLucía Guzmán
Succeeded byChris Holbert
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
January 7, 2015 – February 23, 2022
Preceded byGeorge Rivera
Succeeded byNick Hinrichsen
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 46th district
In office
January 9, 2013 – January 7, 2015
Preceded bySal Pace
Succeeded byDaneya Esgar
Personal details
BornPueblo, Colorado, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMichelle
Children2
EducationPueblo Community College
University of Phoenix (BA)
Ashford University (MA)
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service2001–2007

Leroy Garcia is an American politician who served in the Colorado Senate from the 3rd district, from 2019 to 2022, as a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the president of the state senate from 2019 until his 2022 resignation to join the department of defense, and previously served as the Minority Leader from 2018 to 2019. Before his tenure in the state senate he served in the Colorado House of Representatives from the 46th district from 2013 to 2015, and on the city council in Pueblo, Colorado.

Garcia was born in Pueblo, and educated at Pueblo Community College, the University of Phoenix, and Ashford University. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001 to 2007, and fought in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He began his involvement in politics with his election to the city council in Pueblo. He served a term in the state house before being elected to the state senate.

Garcia was selected to serve as the assistant minority leader before switching positions with Minority Leader Lucía Guzmán and was later selected to serve as president of the state senate. An unsuccessful attempt was made to call a recall against him, but the petitioners only submitted four signatures.

Early life and education

Leroy Garcia was born in Pueblo, Colorado.[1] He served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001 to 2007, and was involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He graduated with a degree in emergency medical services from Pueblo Community College, a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Phoenix, and a master's degree in organizational management from Ashford University.[2] He married Michelle, who would later be appointed to serve on the Colorado Commission on Judicial Performance by Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst in 2016, and had two children with her. Garcia served on the city council in Pueblo.[3][4]

Career

State legislature

Elections

Garcia won the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives from the 46th district without opposition and defeated Republican nominee Jerry Denney in the 2012 election.[5][6] During the 2014 election Garcia won the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Colorado Senate from the 3rd district without opposition and defeated Republican nominee George Rivera.[7][8] He defeated Libertarian nominee John Pickerill in the 2018 election.[9][10] He considered running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from the 3rd congressional district against incumbent Republican Representative Scott Tipton in the 2020 election.[11]

Following the 2018 election conservative activists filed multiple recall petitions, with support from Republicans in the Colorado General Assembly, with Garcia being included alongside Governor Jared Polis, Senators Brittany Pettersen and Pete Lee, and Representatives Rochelle Galindo and Brianna Buentello.[12][13][14] A recall petition for Garcia was approved, but failed to receive the 13,506 signatures required as only four were submitted.[15][16]

Tenure

Garcia in 2018

Garcia served on the Appropriations, and Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy committees during his tenure in the Colorado Senate.[17] He is a member of the Democratic Latino Caucus.[18] He served as acting governor in 2019, while Governor Polis was outside of Colorado due to a meeting of the National Governors Association and Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera was in Pennsylvania.[19]

He was selected to serve as the assistant minority leader on November 10, 2016.[20] Senator Lucía Guzmán resigned as Minority Leader, stating that she could not work with the Republican leadership in the state senate on sexual harassment issues, and Garcia was selected to replace her, with Senator Rhonda Fields being the only vote against him, while Guzmán was selected to replace him as assistant minority leader.[21] He was selected to serve as president of the state senate on November 8, 2018, becoming the first Hispanic person to hold the position, and reelected to the position in 2020.[22][23][24] Garcia announced on February 3, 2022, that he would resign from the state senate, with his resignation taking effect on February 23, to become special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.[25] Steve Fenberg was selected to succeed him on February 22.[26]

During the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries he endorsed Joe Biden.[27] Garcia was appointed to serve on the Latino Leadership Committee for Biden's presidential campaign.[28] In 2021, Garcia was selected to replace Mitzi Johnson, the former Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives, as the immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures as Johnson had lost reelection in the 2020 election.[29]

Alexander Armijo won $25,000 in a lawsuit against Garcia stating that Garcia had violated his First Amendment rights by blocking him on Facebook.[30] The state paid for the $25,000 and Garcia's legal fees which cost $2,030.[31]

Political positions

Garcia stated that it was "a shameful affront to both the victims who have come forward and those subjected to harassment in workplaces across the country" after an attempt to expel Senator Randy Baumgardner due to sexual harassment allegations failed.[32]

In 2013, the Colorado House of Representatives voted thirty-four to thirty one, with Garcia against, in favor of two pieces of legislation which prohibited high-capacity ammunition magazines from having more than fifteen rounds and which prohibited concealed carry on college campuses.[33] Garcia was one of four Democrats to sponsor legislation to repeal the limit on high-capacity ammunition magazine sizes in 2015.[34] In 2019, the state senate voted eighteen to seventeen, with Garcia as the only Democrat voting against, in favor of red flag legislation.[35][36]

Garcia and six other Hispanic members of the Colorado General Assembly sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to maintain the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy.[37] Garcia opposed Trump's attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 United States census stating that it would lead to an inaccurate census that would reduce federal funding for Colorado and could prevent the state from gaining a congressional district.[38]

In 2016, the state house voted fifty-five to nine, with Garcia in favor, in favor of legislation that required the Public Employees' Retirement Association to remove investments from foreign companies if they supported boycotts of Israel. The board of directors of the Public Employees' Retirement Association opposed the legislation as they did not want their investment decisions to be influenced by politics and the American Civil Liberties Union opposed it stating that it was a violation of freedom of speech.[39][40]

Garcia and Representatives Philip Covarrubias and Daneya Esgar introduced a resolution in 2018, asking for the United States Congress to build hospitals managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.[41] He supported the reopening of the Centennial Correctional Facility as it would cost less than building a new prison.[42] He sponsored legislation to create Fishers Peak State Park in 2020.[43]

He received an A rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America.[44] The Disabled American Veterans Department of Colorado named him as the legislator of the year in 2017.[45] He and nine other Democratic members of the state senate received a 100% score from the AFL–CIO in 2018.[46] Garcia was the only Democratic member of the state senate to not receive 100% rating from Conservation Colorado in 2019.[47]

Electoral history

2012 Colorado House of Representatives 46th district Democratic primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia 7,615 100.00%
Total votes 7,615 100.00%
2012 Colorado House of Representatives 46th district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia 23,892 61.32%
Republican Jerry Denney 15,069 38.68%
Total votes 38,961 100.00%
2014 Colorado Senate 3rd district Democratic primary[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia 9,506 100.00%
Total votes 9,506 100.00%
2014 Colorado Senate 3rd district election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia 27,813 54.94%
Republican George Rivera 22,814 45.06%
Total votes 50,627 100.00%
2018 Colorado Senate 3rd district Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia (incumbent) 15,423 100.00%
Total votes 15,423 100.00%
2018 Colorado Senate 3rd district election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Leroy Garcia (incumbent) 39,768 73.62%
Libertarian John Pickerill 14,253 26.38%
Total votes 54,021 100.00%

References

  1. ↑ "Pueblo Chile plate heads to Colorado governor hot off loss to New Mexico". Colorado Politics. April 12, 2017. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Q&A; with Leroy Garcia, Colorado's Senate prez". Colorado Politics. September 14, 2020. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020.
  3. ↑ "The Hot Sheet, February 22, 2016". Colorado Politics. February 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Pueblo Democrat Leroy Garcia launches reelection bid in Senate District 3". Colorado Politics. February 25, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "2012 Primary Election Results - Democratic Party Ballot". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "2012 General Election Results". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  7. 1 2 "2014 Primary Election Results - Democratic Party Ballot". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "2014 General Election Results". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "2018 Primary Election Results - Democratic Party Ballot". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "2018 General Election Results". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Southern Colorado Dem to run for 3rd Congressional District". The Daily Sentinel. June 29, 2019. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Greeley Democrat is target in massive recall push aimed at lawmakers". Colorado Politics. March 27, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Petitions approved in recall bid against Greeley Democrat". Colorado Politics. April 4, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Colorado state Senate President Leroy Garcia targeted for recall". Colorado Politics. August 13, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Recall petition approved for Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia". Colorado Politics. August 19, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Recall group targeting Senate President Leroy Garcia needed 13,506 signatures. They turned in 4". Colorado Politics. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Updated: Legislative committees finalized". Colorado Politics. December 2, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Colorado black, Latino legislative caucuses speak out on violence". Colorado Politics. June 1, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Colorado gets a new governor (briefly) this week". Colorado Politics. July 24, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Duran, Grantham top list of new legislative leaders". Colorado Politics. November 10, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Senate Democratic leader Guzman stepping down from top post". Colorado Politics. March 22, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Colorado Senate Dems choose Garcia as president; House Dems tap Becker as speaker". Colorado Politics. November 8, 2018. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Polly Baca heartened by rise in Latino influence". Colorado Politics. January 21, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  24. ↑ "State Senate holds leadership elections, keeps Garcia as prez and Holbert as minority leader". Colorado Politics. November 5, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Colorado state Senate President Leroy Garcia resigns to join Biden administration". Colorado Politics. February 3, 2022. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Boulder's Steve Fenberg elected Colorado Senate president". KDVR. February 22, 2022. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia, slew of fellow Democrats endorse Joe Biden in presidential primary". Colorado Politics. January 24, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Biden tabs Garcia for Latino Leadership Committee". The Pueblo Chieftain. July 8, 2020. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Leroy Garcia tabbed for National Conference of State Legislatures post". The Pueblo Chieftain. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Colorado's Senate president blocked a Facebook commenter. That cost taxpayers $25,000 — and he's not the first to prompt a payout". The Colorado Sun. April 23, 2019. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  31. ↑ "ACLU sues Colorado state senator over social-media block". Colorado Politics. May 14, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Sexual harassment cases taking a toll on lawmakers, not just the accused". Colorado Politics. April 4, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Diverse panel targets gun violence". Colorado Politics. February 22, 2013. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Hick implies 'Real misgivings' with repealing mag ban". Colorado Politics. March 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Democratic state Senate president will vote no on 'red flag' gun bill". Colorado Politics. March 27, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  36. ↑ "'Red flag' gun bill passes Colorado Senate by one vote". Colorado Politics. March 28, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Legislative Hispanics call on Trump not to revoke protection for immigrants". Colorado Politics. January 20, 2017. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Colorado Senate President Garcia weighs in on census citizenship question". Colorado Politics. June 26, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Hickenlooper pledges support to anti-BDS bill as Senate gives initial nod". Colorado Politics. March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Hickenlooper signs Nordberg-Moreno bill to fight anti-Israel boycott". Colorado Politics. March 18, 2016. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Rep. Daneya Esgar, Sen. Leroy Garcia want VA hospital in southern Colorado". Colorado Politics. February 5, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  42. ↑ "State Senate President Garcia: State needs to reopen Cañon City area prison". Colorado Politics. March 1, 2019. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Legislature puts aside $1m to develop new state park". Colorado Politics. June 13, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  44. ↑ "Leroy Garcia". NARAL Pro-Choice America. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  45. ↑ "Sen. Leroy Garcia named DAV's Colorado legislator of the year". Colorado Politics. September 1, 2017. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  46. ↑ "AFL-CIO's legislative scorecard: Dems do well; Republicans, not so much". Colorado Politics. August 16, 2018. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Conservation Colorado lauds Democrats, blasts Republicans in annual scorecard". Colorado Politics. July 9, 2019. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
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