Gov.-elect Weiser taps Republican for agriculture commissioner
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State Sen. Cleave Simpson in May. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Democratic Gov.-elect Phil Weiser is offering Republicans more than an olive branch.
- On Tuesday , he nominated state Senate GOP leader Cleave Simpson, a San Luis Valley farmer and rancher, as agriculture commissioner.
Why it matters: The rare act of bipartisan power-sharing gives rural southern Colorado a direct voice in decisions affecting its farms, ranches and economic future.
Driving the news: The Alamosa Republican is among Weiser's first Cabinet picks.
- If confirmed by the state Senate, Simpson would succeed Kate Greenberg, who's led the department under Gov. Jared Polis since 2019.
What he's saying: Weiser said the nomination reflects his "commitment to building a collaborative administration that's inclusive of voices from across Colorado and the political spectrum."
- Simpson pledged to "work with producers to keep land in agriculture for the next generation."
The intrigue: Weiser first told Axios during the campaign he was considering appointing a Republican to his leadership team but offered no specifics.
Context: Cross-party appointments aren't unprecedented.
- Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper picked Republican farmer Don Brown as agriculture commissioner in 2015.
Zoom out: Weiser's other nominations also feature geographic diversity.
- He named former state lawmaker and Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt as the director of rural advancement and Glenwood Springs native Scott Steinbrecher as senior director of water policy.
- His budget director is former Commerce City state lawmaker Dominick Moreno, who recently worked as deputy chief of staff for Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.
Zoom in: Simpson's a fourth-generation farmer and rancher who graduated from the Colorado School of Mines.
- He has served as general manager of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District since 2016 and previously worked as chair of the Board of Trustees for Adams State University.
- He was elected to the state Senate in 2021 and became Republican leader in 2025.
What's next: Senate Republicans meet Saturday to pick Simpson's replacement to lead the GOP caucus. A vacancy committee will choose his legislative successor.