With the elections of Rocky and Becker for SLC mayor

[Archaea]

what is it about SLC that makes it so liberal?

It seems your mayor would make our Vegas mayor look conservative. Do the Reps in SLC just run a terrible campaign, or is the city just that overly generous in benefits?

[RockyBalboa]

Salt Lake hasn't had a Republican Mayor for 25+ years or something like that.

[K-dog]

Salt Lake City failed to take advantage of opportunities to grab up communities in the south valley and make them part of Salt Lake City. As a result, the city proper, those who vote for Mayor, is a small number of people living very close to downtown. This group includes the majority of the homosexual population in Utah, a large percentage of the non-LDS people in Utah, and very few of your average suburban loving Mormons. To put it into perspective, the LDS church had to reduce three stakes into two in the downtown area because, although the population is the same, the number of members has drastically decreased in the last 30 years. Another example, many of the SLC stakes have leadership brought in from the south valley. I live in SLC proper and have regularly had campaign signs for the "wrong" (not democrat) candidates ripped from my yard. The reason for the liberal mayors, there are a lot of liberals in SLC.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by K-dog

Salt Lake City failed to take advantage of opportunities to grab up communities in the south valley and make them part of Salt Lake City. As a result, the city proper, those who vote for Mayor, is a small number of people living very close to downtown. This group includes the majority of the homosexual population in Utah, a large percentage of the non-LDS people in Utah, and very few of your average suburban loving Mormons. To put it into perspective, the LDS church had to reduce three stakes into two in the downtown area because, although the population is the same, the number of members has drastically decreased in the last 30 years. Another example, many of the SLC stakes have leadership brought in from the south valley. I live in SLC proper and have regularly had campaign signs for the "wrong" (not democrat) candidates ripped from my yard. The reason for the liberal mayors, there are a lot of liberals in SLC.

SLC = Little Boulder

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

SLC = Little Boulder

I don't know much about Boulder but I do know that SLC could be the most liberal place I've ever lived. Considering that I lived in San Fransisco, that is saying something. Of course, I think Utah in general is more liberal that people give it credit for. So much of the political thought is liberal that I would assume they voted democrat all the time. Unfortunately for the dems, they are staunchly conservative on moral issues such as abortion, homosexuality etc. and therefore vote republican.

[Venkman]

Originally Posted by K-dog

I don't know much about Boulder but I do know that SLC could be the most liberal place I've ever lived. Considering that I lived in San Fransisco, that is saying something. Of course, I think Utah in general is more liberal that people give it credit for. So much of the political thought is liberal that I would assume they voted democrat all the time. Unfortunately for the dems, they are staunchly conservative on moral issues such as abortion, homosexuality etc. and therefore vote republican.

It's liberal and they make a point of letting you know they're liberal. Much more in your face about it because they're an island of liberalism in a sea of conservatism.

About annexing, is there any unincorporated SL county the could annex? Maybe Millcreek? Part of the problem with Salt Lake for Mormons is that if young Mormon families have a choice of a small expensive home for their large family in SLC or a larger more inexpensive home in the south valley, most will choose the latter. Now there is alot of undeveloped land on the west side near the airport, my hope is that developing this land into typical suburban neighborhoods will draw more Mormons into the city again.

[Venkman]

Originally Posted by Archaea

what is it about SLC that makes it so liberal?

It seems your mayor would make our Vegas mayor look conservative. Do the Reps in SLC just run a terrible campaign, or is the city just that overly generous in benefits?

SLC is the "Zion" or gathering place for the non/anti mormons, gays, and liberals in the intermountain west. It's where they can find strength in numbers.

[MikeWaters]

Many cities have non-partisan mayoral elections, where it is not clear what party the candidates are in.

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

"So liberal?" Let's keep things in perspective here. It is still SLC, not Berkley.

I think a large part of the issue Republicans have in SLC is that they tend to be far more conservative than Republicans in most other large national cities (which drives away many moderate voters).

Having spent time in both cities, I would agree that Berkley is more liberal than SLC. On the other hand, there are many "liberal" states and cities that are more conservative than SLC. SLC politics are not middle of the road being called "liberal" but rather a reaction to the social conservativism of the rest of the state and thus, extreme.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

"So liberal?" Let's keep things in perspective here. It is still SLC, not Berkley.

I think a large part of the issue Republicans have in SLC is that they tend to be far more conservative than Republicans in most other large national cities (which drives away many moderate voters).

It appears more liberal the Vegas, which has a very laissez-faire attitude. We don't provide many benefits and are pro-business.

Henderson is definitely more conservative than SLC which has a Mormon mayor. He's a Democrat and ran for Governor but lost to the more liberal Democratic candidate. He would have won the general election.