Loveland Republicans choose county party chair to serve term of late Hugh McKean

A vacancy committee made up of Loveland-area Republicans selected Ron Weinberg to represent House District 51 in the upcoming legislative session, following the unexpected death of former House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, the Colorado House Republicans announced in a Thursday news release.

Weinberg is the current chair of the Larimer County Republican Party and serves on the Loveland Planning Commission. He beat out Kristy Hall, the wife of a Loveland city councilor and Ben Aste, a former Larimer County commissioner candidate, as reported by the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

House District 51 is centered on Loveland, bound by Interstate 25 to the east, 42nd Street to the south and Carpenter Road to the north.

McKean died of a heart attack on Oct. 30, just a week before the election where he was the only candidate for the seat on the ballot. The secretary of state’s office determined that the votes for McKean would be counted and a vacancy committee would pick McKean’s replacement.

McKean was first elected to the state House in 2016. He became minority leader in November 2020.

The vacancy committee also chose Amy Parks, McKean’s partner, to serve the remainder of his current term until January.

“We are thankful to Amy and Ron for stepping up to fulfill such an important duty to the people of Colorado. Hugh McKean left behind an extraordinary legacy, and it will take nothing less than an extraordinary person to fill that void,” Assistant Minority Leader Mike Lynch, who will serve as minority leader next session, said in a statement. “The House District 51 committee believes Amy and Ron are each that kind of person. I’m pleased to have them as colleagues going forward, and I know they’ll continue working towards a better future on behalf of all Coloradans, just as Hugh did before them.”

The legislative session convenes Jan. 9.

Weinberg could not be reached for comment on Friday.