(The Center Square) – A vacancy committee in House District 51, the seat of late House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, has elected Amy Parks and Ron Weinberg to fill the vacant seat.

Parks, the late minority leader's partner, will fill the seat for the rest of the 73rd General Assembly, while Weinberg, who’s chairman of the Larimer County Republican Party, will take over for the 74th General Assembly, which convenes January 9.

McKean passed away from a heart attack last month while at his Loveland home.

Assistant Minority Leader Mike Lynch, R-Wellington, in a statement thanked Parks and Weinberg “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,” he said. “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,” added Lynch, who will take over as minority leader in the next session.