Senate President Leroy Garcia, the first Latino in state history to hold that position, announced Thursday he will resign later this month to join the Biden administration.

Garcia, D-Pueblo will become special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs within the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. His appointment does not require U.S. Senate confirmation.

Garcia’s appointment had been rumored for several weeks, and his resignation will be effective Feb. 23.

Garcia, first elected to the state House in 2012 and to the state Senate in 2014, has served as president of the upper chamber since the 2019 session. Before Democrats took control of the state Senate in the 2018 election, he served as minority leader in the 2018 session.

The Pueblo Democrat is a sixth-generation southern Coloradan and a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq in 2003. His legislative agenda included bills on veterans’ issues and first-responders, a topic he’s familiar with as a licensed paramedic.

In a statement issued by Senate Democrats, Garcia said: “For nearly a decade, I have had the immense honor to represent the People of Pueblo at the Colorado State Capitol, and the privilege to serve as Senate President since 2019. 

“I am incredibly grateful that my community and my colleagues entrusted me with this responsibility, and I have been humbled by the opportunity to serve the state I love.  While my time in the Senate is coming to a close, I am proud of all that we’ve accomplished together to move Colorado forward, and I am confident that whomever is selected to fill these vacancies will serve with the integrity and tenacity that Coloradans deserve.”   

Gov. Jared Polis, in that same statement, said: “The state of Colorado is grateful for President Garcia’s unwavering commitment to delivering for Colorado and Pueblo.

“Under President Garcia’s leadership we have led trailblazing health care reforms to save Coloradans money, created a state park at Fischer’s Peak and we are poised to move forward in making front range rail a reality. President Garcia’s experience as a paramedic and Marine Corps veteran will be a huge asset to President Biden’s administration. On behalf of a grateful state, I congratulate him on his appointment.”

Fellow Democratic leaders in the Senate also offered up praise for Garcia.

Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat who is likely to become the next Senate president, said: “President Garcia’s appointment is a great loss for Colorado, but a huge gain for our country.

“Since the day I decided to run for office, President Garcia has been a mentor for me, just like he’s been for many of my colleagues. I’ve learned so much from him over the years about public service, leadership, and responsibility. He’s taught me that no matter what’s going on in the world, a true public servant’s first responsibility is to care for our democratic institutions and the people we serve, and to ensure we’re passing it off to the next generation better than we found it. Simply put, the state of Colorado is better because of Leroy Garcia.”

Senate Majority Caucus Chair Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, added: “President Garcia is a trailblazer and the consummate public servant, and has guided the Senate with grace and diligence through some of the biggest crises Colorado has ever seen. I am incredibly proud to have had the opportunity to serve alongside and learn from Presidente, and I will miss his mentorship and his guidance. I know he will continue to make our state and our country proud as he serves at the Pentagon.”

Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County, told Colorado Politics in a statement that “I appreciate the President giving me a heads up on this announcement – that is a clear indication of how we’ve come to trust each other and communicate over the last three years as part of Senate leadership. I wish him the very best in his career and life after the General Assembly.”

Holbert and Garcia performed a duet on guitar and piano to open the 2021 session in the Senate. 

House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, spoke of her Pueblo compatriot. 

“I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished together, and I couldn’t be more excited to see my good friend from Pueblo continue his long career of service to our nation at the Pentagon,” she said. “Thank you President Garcia for your dedication to Colorado, and for everything you’ve done to support Pueblo and our Southern Colorado communities. I will miss the President’s leadership and ceaseless determination to fight for Pueblo, and I wish him the best as he continues serving our nation at the Pentagon.”

Speaker of the House Alec Garnett, D-Denver, offered his congratulations as well. “President Garcia has served Colorado and our nation with distinction, and it has been a privilege to work alongside him to move Colorado forward…Colorado is a better state because of what we’ve accomplished together. I’m grateful for President Garcia’s service to our state and our nation, and I congratulate him on this important appointment. The Biden administration is lucky to have him on their team!”

Garcia’s Senate District 3 replacement will be filled by a vacancy committee, which Esgar chairs. 

The last Senate president to resign mid-term was Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, who stepped down to take a job with the Obama administration in 2009. His successor was Senate President Brandon Shaffer, D-Louisville.