Joe Neguse elected Assistant Democratic Leader of U.S. House of Representatives

The office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse of Lafayette, whose Front Range and Western Slope 2nd Congressional District includes Vail and most of Eagle County, issued the following press release on his historic election to House leadership:

Today, Congressman Joe Neguse was elected to serve as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives. The 39-year-old Colorado lawmaker was elected to succeed Rep. Jim Clyburn in the role, which was previously held in the 117th Congress by now Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (2021-2023) and in the 116th Congress by then-Rep. (and current U.S. Senator) Ben Ray Lujan (2019-2021). 

Rep. Neguse, who represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, is only the second Coloradan in state history to serve as a senior member of House leadership, and is the highest ranking Colorado lawmaker in Congress since the 1930’s. Congressman Neguse will continue to bring geographical diversity to the senior leadership table as the sole non-coastal lawmaker. 

“I’m thrilled to congratulate Congressman Neguse on this well-deserved promotion. Congressman Neguse has committed his life to public service and helped move Colorado and our country forward, whether it’s helping create new jobs in the region, expanding broadband access or fighting to protect our public lands and more. Joe’s leadership has already made a positive impact on our state and nation and in this new leadership position in Congress he will be able to deliver even more for Colorado,” said Governor Jared Polis.

 “Congressman Joe Neguse has been a dedicated member of House Leadership, most recently as the Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, where he successfully led the messaging team for House Democrats. As Assistant Democratic Leader, he will be a critical partner in our efforts to move America forward, as he works to enhance House services and resources, amplify our work putting people over politics and provide valuable strategic assistance to our Caucus,” said Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 

In a statement following the election, Neguse said: 

“Each and everyday I’m deeply honored and humbled to serve the people of the great state of Colorado, and I look forward to continuing to advocate on their behalf as Assistant Democratic Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. As a proud Westerner, I’m committed to ensuring that the people of Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain West have a seat at the table, and will work in my new role to ensure the voices of folks across our country and from every corner of the Democratic Caucus are elevated, included, and heard.” 

“I am deeply grateful to my colleagues for electing me to serve in this position, and as Assistant Democratic Leader, I look forward to assisting Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark, and Chairman Pete Aguilar as we continue to put People over Politics and deliver real results for the American people. Together, we will work shoulder to shoulder to cut through the chaos created by House Republicans and make good on our promises to the American people. Now, more than ever, we must build a future our communities can believe in.” 

The Colorado Congressman received national plaudits in 2021 for his work as an impeachment manager in the second impeachment trial of former President Trump. Since then, he’s used his platform to tackle issues of importance to families across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West; most notably, leading the charge to confront the western wildfire crisis. As the Chairman (and now Ranking Member) of the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands, Rep. Neguse prioritizes work to preserve public lands and restore America’s forests. He was ranked as the most effective lawmaker for public lands policy in the country, and one of the nation’s top three overall most effective lawmakers in the House. And last year, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and the Institute of Politics at Harvard University honored Rep. Neguse with the “New Frontier Award” for his work to restore hope in democratic institutions.

Congressman Neguse announced his candidacy for Assistant Democratic Leader in February. He becomes the highest ranking Coloradan in Congress since Rep. Edward T. Taylor (Glenwood Springs) who served as Democratic Caucus Chair in the 74th Congress (1935-1937). Congressman Neguse has been a member of the House Democratic leadership team since first being elected to Congress — as Freshman Leadership Representative in the 116th Congress, Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) in the 117th Congress, and Chairman of the DPCC from 2022 to 2024.

Additional information can also be found at https://assistantdemocraticleader.house.gov.