Republicans chose Alex “Skinny” Winkler on Friday night as the replacement for expelled ex-Colorado Rep. Steve Lebsock after he made a last-minute party switch before being ousted earlier this month from the statehouse.

Winkler was already running in the November election as a Republican for the House District 34 seat that Lebsock, a former Democrat, was set to vacate as he ran for Colorado treasurer.

Winkler won with 12 votes to Casey Cole’s 11 at a meeting of the Republicans’ House District 34 vacancy committee Friday in Northglenn, according to Colorado GOP spokesman Daniel Cole.

Lebsock was expelled on March 2 following a wave of sexual harassment allegations against him that were validated by an outside investigator. His expulsion was the first for the Colorado General Assembly in more than 100 years.

Since Lebsock switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican minutes before his expulsion, the GOP got to choose whether to select his replacement or punt to Gov. John Hickenlooper.

“I’ve been involved in the party for quite awhile,” Winkler, a Northglenn businessman who works in event production, told The Denver Post on Friday night. “I’ve been a bit of an activist. I was vice chair of Adams County Republicans for a little bit under Steve House. But this will be my first (elected) position.”

Winkler lost to Lebsock in 2014 and made a failed bid in 2016 to become an Adams County commissioner. He said he doesn’t think he would have voted to expel Lebsock if he had been part of the legislature when the decision was made — “I don’t think the proper procedure was followed,” he said — though he thinks there should have been discipline for the allegations leveled against the former lawmaker.

When asked about the GOP’s decision to replace Lebsock, despite the district’s years of support for Democrats, Winkler said, “I can’t imagine the logic of not replacing him.”

He added: “Perhaps you can ask Steve Lebsock about that. Steve Lebsock felt like Democrats weren’t up to the challenge of replacing him.”

Winkler said he most identifies with Rep. Justin Everett, R-Littleton, in the Colorado House. Everett is known as “Dr. No” for his propensity to reject legislation.

“I’m a small government fella,” Winkler said. “Any bills that seek to lessen the role of government, if you will, would win my favor.”