Friendship, grief and a call for unity echoed through the Senate chamber on Wednesday, as Colorado lawmakers convened for the first day of the 2026 legislative session, led by remarks from Senate President James Coleman and Minority Leader Cleave Simpson.

Coleman, a Democrat, and Simpson, a Republican, both mourned Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, who died in a Nov. 26 car crash in Arapahoe County.

For Simpson, the 2026 session marks the first time he’s spoken on Opening Day as leader of the Republican caucus. He was appointed minority leader last June after the resignation of Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Colorado Springs.

Coleman has spoken highly of Simpson, a farmer and water manager from the San Luis Valley, calling him one of his best friends.

In his opening day remarks, Coleman called Simpson “the greatest minority leader the chamber has ever seen.” He noted a recent visit to Alamosa for a car show that he attended with Simpson.

Coleman has been to the Simpson farm several times, telling Colorado Politics a year ago that it’s where he learned about water, its importance to agriculture, how water feeds the economy, and how it pays for healthcare, criminal justice, and the things Coleman cares most about.

In return, Simpson thanked Coleman for his friendship and mentioned the Labor Day car show to the Senate.

“He failed to mention he had the very unique opportunity to actually sit in, though not allowed to drive, my 1957 Cameo pickup, 500 horse, 500 cubic inch” — a truck that Simpson has had since high school and which fewer than 10 people have ever been allowed to sit in.

They both turned from joy to sorrow in mourning Winter’s loss.

“It’s with a heavy heart” to be in the chamber and not have Winter here, Simpson said. He said he could not disagree more politically with Winter, but they also found a way to work together on policy.

Simpson said his introduction to Winter came when he was sponsoring a soil health bill, and Winter sought him out to offer to co-sponsor it.

“There’s a hole in my heart that she’s not sitting in the chamber with us,” Simpson said.

Coleman called Winter’s loss immeasurable: “I hope that we can incorporate her tenacity and the joy that she found in this work into our policies.”

Winter “never forgot to be moved by the people behind her policies and never forgot to be human in this work, flaws and all.”

Simpson took a moment to salute Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood and some of the people who served in the first legislature.

There were just 26 members of the Senate, who came from mining camps, farm communities, frontier towns and vast rural counties that year. That first Senate was small in number but large in vision, facing uncertainty, scarce resources and a rapidly growing population, he said.

Coleman noted the measures passed in the past session, his first year as Senate President. That included a bipartisan bill to protect safety net providers, increase K-12 funding and protect abortion rights.

Simpson called for cooperation and mutual respect among lawmakers. The citizens of Colorado want a state that is affordable, safe and full of opportunity, but they’re also concerned about how divided lawmakers have become, he said.

“They want a government that listens, that respects their work, and that understands the pressures facing families, small businesses, and communities, urban and rural alike,” he said.

He called for lowering costs, which, he said, means making responsible decisions using taxpayer dollars and restoring balance between regulation and innovation.

“We are not as divided as some might want you to believe,” Coleman said.

The state will face serious challenges this year, notably its spending plan.

“Our budget environment will mean extremely difficult funding decisions. The federal government’s tariffs and haphazard clawbacks of funding for critical programs have sown uncertainty in our economy,” Coleman said.

As for Democrats’ agenda, Coleman called for building up affordable housing stock, stabilizing health care premium rates, streamlining workforce development programs and working on climate goals, as well as investing in “diverse” energy sources to drive down utility costs.

“We have a role to play here. We won’t sit idly by while Coloradans are hurting.”

The opening day festivities included the singing of the national anthem from the Denver Children’s Choir and a performance by renowned jazz saxophonist Tony Exum, Jr., son of Sen. Tony Exum, Sr.