At age 31, he is the youngest member of the Colorado Senate, and in his first term he has already established himself as a rising Republican.

Sen. Josh Penry, R-Frutia, has always been interested in politics ever since childhood. He said his family was always engaged in political discussion at the dinner table.

In 2004, Penry was elected to the state House of Representatives, and last November he won the Senate District 7 seat, which was vacated by former GOP Sen. Ron Teck.

Penry appears as one of the most modest politicians one could ever meet. He would much rather talk about his wife, Jamie, and their two children than his political successes.

Balancing his family life with a political career has been one of Penry’s greatest challenges.

“In a perfect world, I would be coaching a football team and teaching civics at Mesa

State College,” said Penry, a former football player at Mesa State in Grand Junction.

Athletics has been a lifelong interest of Penry, and the senator noted that sports has helped shaped him as a politician.

“It teaches you how to deal with winning and losing,” Penry said. “Teamwork is also an important element you learn with sports.”

After graduating college, Penry and his wife, who was also his high school sweetheart, moved to Washington D.C. While there, he worked as press secretary for former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Grand Junction.

By the age of 26, Penry was learning how to count votes, pass bills, and draft legislation in the nation’s capital.

“It was a great learning experience that opened so many doors,” said Penry.

Issues that Penry plans to focus on this legislative session include: Immigration, right-to-work, and education. He has brought three bills before the education committee, where he is also a member.

On Thursday, Penry’s Senate Bill 131, which sets a comprehensive statewide standard for math and science courses required for students to graduate high school.

During his time in the House, Penry made a name for himself drafting conservation laws for Colorado’s limited water resources. His contribution created a new statewide framework for negotiating water rights, and he still considers water one of the most important issues facing the west.

The senator relishes the rough and tumble language of a political debate, and he said that he will never take a bill to the floor unless he knows exactly where it stands. Being away from his family is the hardest part of the job, and Penry spends every free moment he can with them.

For Penry the best part of the job is “helping citizens cut through the red tape of government.”

When the Legislative session is complete, Penry enjoys free time with his family. They are avid campers and big fans of Lake Powell.