The House Minority caucus regained full strength Tuesday morning when state Rep. Cole Wist, R-Centennial, was sworn in at a brief, festive ceremony on the chamber floor that drew Wist’s family and friends and Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

“I’ve been drinking from the fire hose for the past three days to get ready and up to date,” Wist told The Colorado Statesman. “My family has been incredibly supportive. I’m looking forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle.”

Wist has been a defense attorney for 27 years and has represented the energy industry in workplace-safety cases, He was named by a Republican vacancy committee to replace former state Rep. and current state Sen. Jack Tate, R-Centennial, on Saturday. Tate vacated his seat when he was named by another Republican vacancy committee to the Senate in December to fill a seat vacated by David Balmer.

Wist ran for a House seat on the Western Slope in 1996 as a Democrat but switched party affiliation in 1998. Growing up in a coal-mining family in Paonia, Wist said he felt the Democratic Party seemed increasingly less focused on championing working-class families, especially those working in the energy industry.

“I got the feeling that the party was moving away from supporting workers in the energy industry, which provides good-paying jobs,” he said.

House Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, said his advice to Wist would be to ignore special interests and leadership and instead let the values of his constituents in House District 37 guide his votes.

“The first thing I say to everyone is to vote your district. That’s your number-one job,” DelGrosso said. “Cast your vote with your district in mind, not with what leadership wants you to do or what special interests want you to do.”

Wist said he aimed to focus on energy and transportation issues. The first bill he plans to submit will require both public and private employers to use the E-Verify worker-eligibility checking system.

Tate said he believed Wist’s background would serve him well in the House.

“He’s a highly capable professional,” Tate said. “He’ll be ready to work from Day One.”

— ramsey@coloradostatesman.com