Josh Penry

With the state Senate District 26 race decided, Senate Republicans released their 2009 committee assignments on Thursday.

Senate Democrats announced their committee assignments last week.

In some cases, though, there isn't a name to go with the assignment. Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) has assigned the yet-to-be-determined senator from the 15th Senate District to the Judiciary, Local Government, and Health and Human Services committees.

Incoming Colorado Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) told the Grand Junction Sentinel Friday that he's not going to announce GOP committee appointments until the state Senate 26 race is resolved.

Democrat Linda Newell leads Republican Lauri Clapp by 108 votes in that race; elections officials likely won't finish counting approximately 4,000 provisional ballots cast until early next week, Penry told the Sentinel's Political Notebook.

On Thursday, Colorado Republican and Democratic caucuses from both state legislative chambers chose their leadership positions for next year. Here's a list of who they chose:

UPDATED 10:45 A.M. 11/6/2008  

DENVER--State Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) was named Senate Minority Leader by acclamation Thursday morning.

State Reps. Mike May (R-Parker) and David Balmer (R-Centennial) were also elected House Minority Leader and Assistant Minority Leader unanimously.

In the House Democratic Caucus, though, several members urged postponing a vote on House Democratic leadership, saying they needed more time to consider the nominees.

However, no formal motion was made to postpone the vote.

State Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) appears set to be elected Senate Minority Leader at Thursday's Senate Republican caucus, said state Sen. Greg Brophy (R-Wray).

Brophy will be named assistant Senate minority leader, he said, while state Sen. Mike Kopp (R-Littleton) will be elected Republican Caucus Chair and state Sen. Nancy Spence will become Minority Whip.

UPDATED 4:45 P.M. 10/7/2008 

Although Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bob Schaffer said he opposed Amendment 52 during a Monday night debate, his manager said Tuesday that Schaffer misspoke and actually supports the proposal.

"Bob supports 52, he was unclear on the question last night," said Schaffer manager Dick Wadhams in an e-mail Tuesday.

Amendment 52, a ballot initiative backed by Republican lawmakers Cory Gardner (R-Yuma), Frank McNulty (R-Highlands Ranch), and state Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction),would tap into the state severance tax to pay for improvements to Interstate 70.