President Teddy Roosevelt was known to have said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” The phrase was a reference to his leadership style, in which one negotiates in a civil and peaceful manner while also making clear one can exert power when needed. This style of leadership is one that Robert Rodriguez has effectively projected during his years as the Senate Majority Leader.

Few people outside of the Capitol may recognize him, yet within the confines of the Capitol, Rodriguez has been a force to be reckoned with since he arrived in the Senate. Not being in the limelight is fine with Rodriguez. He is not one of those politicians who craves attention or seeks out the media. That is not why he ran for office. He sought the position to make a difference and to have the government be a positive force in people’s lives. A major focus of his time at the Capitol has been to provide greater economic opportunities for all Coloradoans, expand affordable housing options, provide better, lower-cost health care, improve mental health treatment, and address problems in the state’s criminal justice system. He is also widely recognized for his understanding of labor issues and the challenges facing business. He’s been key in negotiating compromises among those groups.  

Rodriguez was first elected to the Senate in 2018, representing District 32, which covers a wide swath of south Denver. Public service comes naturally as his family has been active in their community and politics for many years. Before he ran for the Senate, Rodriguez was very involved with his neighborhood groups, as well as being extensively involved in community outreach and advocacy.

Rodriguez is intelligent, thoughtful, courteous, and has a good sense of humor. Even his Republican counterparts who oppose him on many issues have profound respect for him. They appreciate that even though he has a strong majority in the Senate, he seeks out and is willing to listen to their views. Along those lines, he has made a point of getting to know the Minority Leaders in the Senate during his leadership term and has frequently met with them to discuss key legislation, seeking bipartisan solutions whenever possible.

During major debates or hearings on legislation, one can see Rodriguez’s “big-stick diplomacy” in action as he quietly pulls one of his colleagues in the Senate aside to discuss, cajole and seek out a compromise on an issue. Though he may be soft-spoken, he knows how to wield the power of his position to move major legislation forward and be tough when needed.

He has been a key cog, if not the heart, that has made the Senate function at the Capitol during a challenging time. Many of the major measures that have passed or failed have his fingerprints on them. Rather than seek recognition, he generally gives credit to others when, in truth, much of the success was due to his efforts. Further, he does not shrink when it comes to tackling the most challenging and contentious issues in the state, as was witnessed by his being the lead sponsor in 2024 of the first state legislation targeted at avoiding possible discrimination from the use of AI. He carried a follow-up measure this year toward addressing some of the concerns from the AI and business community. Though the different sides of the AI debate seemed to be hopelessly far apart at the beginning, Rodriguez’s quiet diplomacy, inclusive approach and collaborative style led to a compromise that was acceptable to both sides.

His term as Majority Leader was further complicated by the growing schism within his own party, between moderates and progressives. He has successfully counseled and led those in his caucus to resolve their differences among themselves in a professional manner without attacking each other publicly as has occurred in Congress. During his time as Majority Leader, there have also been some major dustups with Gov. Polis on key legislation. Rodriguez is not a shrinking violet and has stood his ground, but he refrains from attacking the Governor or others in the press or on the floor because he recognizes that those actions usually do more harm than good.  

Rodriguez is termed out this year, and the State Senate will be losing one of its finest. While this is a loss to the state government, it may be to the benefit of the City of Denver, as Rodriguez has indicated an interest in running for City Council. For residents of Denver, they would be wise to consider a man of his talents, experience, and leadership skills as the city faces difficult challenges in the years ahead.

Greg Fulton is the president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, which represents more than 600 companies directly involved in, and affiliated with trucking in Colorado.