Brief by Central Staff
Politics – December 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine
from Capitol Hill Blue (a Republican newsletter in Washington) Oct. 16, 1999:
“Throughout the corridor of Western states bordering the Rocky Mountains and stretching from Canada to Mexico, there is a feeling of standing on high ground. … Gradually over the past decade, this region, once known for its politics of peace and environmentalism and sprinkled with independent though left-leaning leaders, has become America’s new conservative heartland.
“Conservatism still beats strong in portions of virtually every region in the nation. But none can match the hegemony of rock-ribbed Republicanism that dominates this broad swath of land, which is by many measures the most rapidly expanding and modernizing region in the U.S.
“And while this region doesn’t have the numbers to drive national politics, it is seen by many analysts as a cutting-edge model of conservative ideology. Both major political parties are paying close attention as they gear up for the 2000 elections. The Democrats are wondering what went wrong here and how to prevent its spread while Republicans would like to bottle their success for export.”
