In an era of hyperpartisanship, Speaker of the House Alec Garnett, D-Denver, has done something no other Colorado Speaker has done, at least not in the almost two-dozen years this reporter has been at the Capitol.

He appointed a Republican – Rep. Marc Catlin of Montrose – as vice chair of the Democratic-controlled House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee.

In an interview with Colorado Politics, Garnett said it was common sense.

Catlin, the ranking Republican on the committee, was suggested for the vice chair position by Rep. Jeni Arndt, D-Fort Collins, who had been committee chair until last Friday, when she resigned her seat to become mayor of Fort Collins. The committee chair is now Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, a veterinarian who is in her first year in the Colorado House. 

Garnett said he has a lot of confidence in McCormick, who he said has a rich background in the issues that the committee faces. He also noted that almost all of the other Democrats on ag are already chairs of other committees or are in other leadership roles.

Catlin is a smart, thoughtful and caring individual who knows these issues, Garnett said, and combined with McCormick’s experience they will make a good team. 

There is, however, the potential reaction from some of the more partisan members of his caucus.

“I thought about that a lot,” Garnett said. “This is a big move.”

But in a time when people are nervous about institutions, “it felt like an important moment for me to say not only do I feel strongly about the institution itself, we don’t have to be so partisan with each other. If you’re a thoughtful policymaker, the letter behind your name shouldn’t matter,” he said.

Choosing not to pick fights “just because you can,” being a thoughtful partner and a good communicator; these are all things that Catlin is, Garnett added.

Garnett and Catlin are co-sponsors of a stimulus bill to boost funding for the state water plan. The day they presented the bill, they talked about Garnett’s pending decision, and Catlin told him that it’s about the committee, the issues and “making sure we’re doing the right thing” for the state. 

The decision he made was for those things, Garnett said. 

It’s is a different way to do things, but he said it shows that you can find the places of bipartisanship. “It’s easy to be partisan,” Garnett said. “It’s very hard to build relationships with Republicans and to extend an olive branch to the other party and to listen to where they’re coming from.”

In making the decision, party mattered least, with the personality of the policymaker, knowledge of the issues and “his unwavering commitment to the state” coming first. 

Garnett is concerned that there could be pushback from some in his caucus, but said it’s a testament to Catlin that he hasn’t heard it yet. While he believes that pushback will come eventually, he will handle it then. The decision came from the right information and it came from the right place, in his heart.

“I can explain that to folks and hopefully they will understand,” Garnett said.

Among the 65 members of the House, most from rural Colorado are Republicans; Democrats who aren’t from the Front Range represent ski areas and southwestern Colorado. The only House Democrat with an ag background is Rep. Don Valdez of La Jara. 

“There’s a lot of talk about the rural-urban divide,” Garnett said. “Marc will complement Karen’s leadership, and if that gives confidence to folks in other parts of the state who feel like the divide is getting wider; this can be seen as an opportunity.”