In El Paso County, Colorado, 42.7% of people voted for Democrats in the last presidential election, 53.5% voted for the Republican Party, and the remaining 3.7% voted.
COLORADO SPRINGS
(Colorado Springs) has seen remarkable population growth over the past 50 years, becoming an important urban center in southern Colorado. State data, which is now 152 years old, shows that Colorado Springs still has a conservative base, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats by almost two to one. According to the first projections, Colorado Springs will overtake Denver as the most populated city in the state by 2050.This population growth has kept University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) professor Josh Dunn busy. Dunn likes to delve into the political landscape of Colorado Springs. He moved to the city from Virginia in 2004 to take up a teaching position at UCCS. He states that while the growth of Colorado Springs diluted or reduced some of the city's conservative strength, “it's still a conservative place”.
Next on the Colorado Springs calendar is the runoff of the mayoral elections on May 16. This is not a partisan race, but many voters look at the candidate's political affiliation before voting. The fact that Colorado Springs ranked number two in the country according to US News and World Report magazine, in the category “The Best Places to Live”, may draw people to the city, but when did it start? That's what Matt Mayberry, director of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, is passionate about. Professor Dunn studied the percentage of people who are affiliated with a religion in Colorado Springs and who also attend church frequently. Everyone comes to Colorado Springs for one reason or another, but if history tells you anything, one factor is the city's strong political position.
Since the April 4 elections, Mobolade has gained popularity with two high-profile supporters, including Sallie Clark and Tom Strand, former president of the Colorado Springs City Council, who ran in the first round for mayor and both are Republicans. Williams, however, is more well-known and experienced of the two. It has the support of current Mayor John Suthers and one of the most prominent housing developers in Colorado Springs. Professor Dunn, who is writing a book about political differences in Colorado Springs, said he is curious to study trends in how a growing population could affect the region's conservative base.
Population growth isn't the only change Colorado Springs is facing. With a new mayor, the third person from the city to hold the title of strong mayor arrives. Before Colorado Springs appoints its next mayor, these candidates must prepare to face the city's growth problems and, potentially, a city with changing political affiliation. The politics of Colorado are that of a blue state.
Once considered an undecided state that used to be Republican-leaning, it has had a Democratic trend since early this century due to demographic changes and an increase in unaffiliated voters who lean towards Democrats. The state's Republican Party's growing shift towards social and religious conservatism along with a greater shift to the right have also been cited as causes of changes in Colorado's voting patterns. Educated women are much less likely to vote for conservatives and in Colorado Springs women represent 48.33% of its population. The Colorado House of Representatives is its lower house consisting of 65 seats with approximately 77000 people each.
While it is certainly a very conservative place, conservatism is more complex than people sometimes recognize.
