Shaffer To Be Next Senate President

Senate Democrats elected Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, as the next Senate president this morning.

Shaffer, 38, is in his second and final term as a state senator. He was first elected in 2004.

He will replace Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, as president of the Senate effective May 7, 2009.

Groff has announced his resignation from the Senate in order to accept a position in the office of the U.S. Secretary of Education.

The chamber's majority caucus also chose Sen. John P. Morse, D-Colorado Springs, as the new majority leader.

Morse will replace Shaffer in that role effective May 7, 2009.

The remaining members of the Senate majority's leadership team will remain the same.