Colorado's 5th congressional district

Colorado's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. The district lies in the center of the state and comprises Colorado Springs and its suburbs including Cimarron Hills and Fort Carson.

Colorado's 5th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
  Doug Lamborn
RColorado Springs
Distribution
  • 86.44% urban[1]
  • 13.56% rural
Population (2022)732,858[2]
Median household
income
$82,432[2]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+9[3]

The district is currently represented by Republican Doug Lamborn. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+9, it is one of the most Republican districts in Colorado.[3]

Characteristics edit

Politics edit

The Republican Party has held control of the seat since the district's creation. Colorado Springs, the main population center within the district, is home to many conservative Christian organizations. Among these groups are Focus on the Family, its founder Dr. James Dobson (who is considered by some to be the most influential evangelical leader in the country[4]), New Life Church, Compassion International, HCJB, and many others. There is some Democratic strength in this district in urban Colorado Springs and some of its suburbs near Pikes Peak, but it is no match for the overwhelming Republican tilt of the district; however, unlike the nearby 4th that is trending more Republican by the year, the 5th is becoming slightly less Republican due to demographic changes, but not enough for the area to be competitive for the near future.

Colorado Springs also boasts a large population of both active-duty and retired military personnel and is home to many companies in the defense industry, all of which are demographics that tend to vote for Republicans. Throughout the district's history, Republicans have won by comfortable margins. From 1996 through 2004, Republican Joel Hefley usually won reelections with about 70% of the vote. George W. Bush received 66% of the vote in this district in 2004.

Economy edit

Because of the strong military presence, Colorado Springs's economy is usually very stable and frequently sees growth. The western portions of the district are mostly small mountain towns whose economy depends on ranching, farming, mining, and tourism.

Tourism edit

Millions of tourists visit the Colorado Springs region every year, primarily to visit Garden of the Gods, United States Olympic Training Center, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, Pikes Peak, and the United States Air Force Academy.

Military edit

Colorado Springs, located within the district, is home to multiple military installations. Fort Carson, the United States Air Force Academy, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and NORAD are also all located within the district. There are more veterans living in the Colorado Fifth than any other district in America.[5]

History edit

1990s edit

Following the 1990 U.S. census and associated realignment of Colorado congressional districts, the 5th congressional district consisted of El Paso and Teller counties, as well as portions of Arapahoe, Douglas, and Fremont counties.[6]

2000s edit

Following the 2000 U.S. census and associated realignment of Colorado congressional districts, the 5th congressional district consisted of Chaffee, El Paso, Fremont, Lake and Teller counties, as well as most of Park County.

2010s edit

Following the 2010 U.S. census and associated realignment of Colorado congressional districts, the 5th congressional district consisted of Chaffee, El Paso, Fremont, and Teller counties, as well as most of Park County.

2020s edit

Following the 2020 U.S. census and associated realignment of Colorado congressional districts, the 5th congressional district consisted of most of El Paso County, except for a sliver that was drawn into the 4th district. Other counties towards the west were redistricted into the 7th district.

Voting edit

Election results from presidential races[7]

Election results
Year Office Results
2000 President Bush 63–31%
2004 President Bush 66–33%
2008 President McCain 59–40%
2012 President Romney 59–38%
2016 President Trump 57–33%
Senate Glenn 58.4–35.6%
2018 Governor Stapleton 56.6–39%
2020 President Trump 55–42%
Senate Gardner 57.1–39.6%
2022 Governor Ganahl 50%–47%
Senate O'Dea 52%–44%

List of members representing the district edit

Member Party Term duration Cong
ress
Electoral history District location
District created January 3, 1973
 
William L. Armstrong
(Aurora)
Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1979
93rd
94th
95th
Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
 
Ken Kramer
(Colorado Springs)
Republican January 3, 1979 –
January 3, 1987
96th
97th
98th
99th
Elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
 
Joel Hefley
(Colorado Springs)
Republican January 3, 1987 –
January 3, 2007
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
Elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Retired.
2003–2013
 
 
Doug Lamborn
(Colorado Springs)
Republican January 3, 2007 –
present
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Retiring at end of term.
2013–2023
 
2023–present
 

Election results edit

19721974197619781980198219841986198819901992199419961998200020022004200620082010201220142016201820202022

1972 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1972[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Armstrong 104,214 62.33
Democratic Byron L. Johnson 60,948 36.45
Libertarian Pipp M. Boyls 2,028 1.22
Total votes 167,190 100.0
Republican win (new seat)

1974 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1974[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Armstrong (incumbent) 85,326 57.73
Democratic Ben Galloway 56,888 38.49
Independent Stan Johnson 5,580 3.78
Total votes 147,794 100.0
Republican hold

1976 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1976[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Armstrong (incumbent) 126,784 66.43
Democratic Dorothy Hores 64,067 33.57
Total votes 190,851 100.0
Republican hold

1978 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1978[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Kramer 91,933 59.78
Democratic Gerry Frank 52,914 34.41
Independent L.W. Dan Bridges 8,933 5.81
Total votes 153,780 100.0
Republican hold

1980 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1980[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Kramer (incumbent) 177,319 72.41
Democratic Ed Schreiber 62,003 25.32
Libertarian John A. Lanning 5,578 2.27
Total votes 244,900 100.0
Republican hold

1982 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1982[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Kramer (incumbent) 84,479 59.55
Democratic Thomas Cronin 57,392 40.45
Total votes 141,871 100.0
Republican hold

1984 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1984[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Kramer (incumbent) 163,654 78.59
Democratic William Geffen 44,588 21.41
Total votes 206,242 100.0
Republican hold

1986 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1986[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley 121,153 69.77
Democratic Bill Story 52,488 30.23
Total votes 173,641 100.0
Republican hold

1988 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1988[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 181,612 75.13
Democratic John J. Mitchell 60,116 24.87
Total votes 241,728 100.0
Republican hold

1990 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1990[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 127,740 66.44
Democratic Cal Johnston 57,776 30.05
Libertarian Keith L. Hamburger 6,761 3.51
Total votes 192,277 100.0
Republican hold

1992 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1992[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 173,096 71.11
Democratic Charles A. Oriez 62,550 25.70
Libertarian Keith L. Hamburger 7,769 3.19
Total votes 243,415 100.0
Republican hold

1994 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1994[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 138,674 100.00
Total votes 138,674 100.0
Republican hold

1996 edit

Republican primary edit

1996 Republican Primary Congressional Election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley 36,994 76.70
Republican Bill Hughes 11,236 23.30

General edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1996[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 188,805 71.94
Democratic Mike Robinson 73,660 28.06
Total votes 262,465 100.0
Republican hold

1998 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 1998[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 155,790 72.71
Democratic Ken Alford 55,609 25.95
Natural Law Mark A. Mellot 2,871 1.34
Total votes 214,270 100.0
Republican hold

2000 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2000[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 253,330 82.70
Libertarian Kerry Kantor 37,719 12.31
Natural Law Randy Mackenzie 15,260 4.99
Total votes 306,309 100.0
Republican hold

2002 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2002[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 128,118 69.37
Democratic Curtis Imrie 45,587 24.69
Libertarian Biff Baker 10,972 5.94
Total votes 184,677 100.0
Republican hold

2004 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2004[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joel Hefley (incumbent) 193,333 70.55
Democratic Fred Hardee 74,098 27.04
Libertarian Arthur "Rob" Roberts 6,627 2.41
Total votes 274,058 100.0
Republican hold

2006 edit

Republican primary edit

2006 Republican Primary Congressional Election[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn 15,126 26.97
Republican Jeff Crank 14,234 25.38
Republican Bentley Rayburn 9,735 17.36
Republican Lionel Rivera 7,213 12.86
Republican John Wesley Anderson 6,474 11.54
Republican Duncan Bremer 3,310 5.90

General edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2006[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn 123,264 59.62
Democratic Jay Fawcett 83,431 40.35
Republican Richard D. Hand (as a write-in) 41 0.02
Democratic Brian X. Scott (as a write-in) 12 0.01
Republican Gregory S. Hollister 8 0.00
Total votes 206,756 100.0
Republican hold

2008 edit

Republican primary edit

2008 Republican Primary Congressional Election[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn 24,995 44%
Republican Jeff Crank 16,794 30%
Republican Bentley Rayburn 14,986 26%

General edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 183,179 60%
Democratic Hal Bidlack 113,027 37%
Constitution Brian X. Scott 8,894 3%
No party Richard D. Hand 45 0.03
Total votes 305,142 100%
Republican hold

2010 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2010[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 152,829 66%
Democratic Kevin Bradley 68,039 29%
Constitution Brian X. Scott 5,886 3%
Libertarian Jerrell Klaver 5,680 2%
Total votes 232,434 100%
Republican hold

2012 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2012[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 199,639 65%
Independent Dave Anderson 53,318 17%
Libertarian Jim Pirtle 22,778 7%
Green Misha Luzov 18,284 6%
Constitution Kenneth R. Harvell 13,312 5%
Total votes 307,231 100%
Republican hold

2014 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2014[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 157,182 60%
Democratic Irv Halter 105,673 40%
Total votes 262,855 100%
Republican hold

2016 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2016[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (Incumbent) 225,445 62.28%
Democratic Misty Plowright 111,676 30.85%
Libertarian Mike McRedmond 24,872 6.87%
Total votes 361,993 100%
Republican hold

2018 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (Incumbent) 184,002 57.02%
Democratic Stephany Rose Spaulding 126,848 39.31%
Libertarian Douglas Randall 11,795 3.65%
Write-in 71 0.02%
Total votes 322,716 100%
Republican hold

2020 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (Incumbent) 249,013 57.6%
Democratic Jillian Freeland 161,600 37.4%
Libertarian Ed Duffett 14,777 3.4%
Independent Marcus Allen Murphy 3,708 0.9%
Unity Rebecca Keltie 3,309 0.8%
Total votes 432,407 100%
Republican hold

2022 edit

United States House of Representatives elections, 2022
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Lamborn (incumbent) 155,528 56.0%
Democratic David Torres 111,978 40.3%
Libertarian Brian Flanagan 7,079 2.5%
American Constitution Christopher Mitchell 3,370 1.2%
Independent Matthew Feigenbaum 9 0.0%
Total votes 277,964 100%
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries edit

 
2003–2013
 
2013–2023

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "My Congressional District: Congressional District 5 (118th Congress), Colorado". United States Census Bureau.
  3. ^ a b "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Olsen, Ted (February 21, 2005). "Who's Driving This Thing?". Christianity Today. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  5. ^ "Veterans, Doctors Alike Stranded as Vet Choice Fails to Pay its Bills | Military.com". Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  6. ^ Congressional District Map (Map). State of Colorado. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  7. ^ Presidential Election Results, by district, swingstateproject.com
  8. ^ 1972 Election Results
  9. ^ 1974 Election Results
  10. ^ 1976 Election Results
  11. ^ 1978 Election Results
  12. ^ 1980 Election Results
  13. ^ 1982 Election Results
  14. ^ 1984 Election Results
  15. ^ 1986 Election Results
  16. ^ 1988 Election Results
  17. ^ 1990 Election Results
  18. ^ 1992 Election Results
  19. ^ 1994 Election Results
  20. ^ 1996 Primary Results[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ 1996 Election Results
  22. ^ 1998 Election Results
  23. ^ 2000 Election Results
  24. ^ 2002 Election Results
  25. ^ 2004 Election Results
  26. ^ 2006 Primary Results
  27. ^ 2006 Election Results
  28. ^ 2008 Primary Results
  29. ^ 2008 Election Results
  30. ^ 2010 Election Results
  31. ^ 2012 Election Results
  32. ^ "2014 Election Results". Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  33. ^ "2016 Election Results". Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.

38°48′56″N 105°20′39″W / 38.81556°N 105.34417°W / 38.81556; -105.34417