CQ Risk Rating: Safe Republican 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Joel Hefley (R) | 253,330 | 83% |
| Kerry Kantor (LIBERT) | 37,719 | 12% |
| Randy MacKenzie (NL) | 15,260 | 5% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: AUGUST 8, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Republican |
| Joel Hefley | 33,121 | 100% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Military Bases | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
COLORADO 5
:
South Central - Colorado Springs
God and country dominate the 5th, an overwhelmingly conservative
district where Republicans outnumber Democrats more than 2-to-1. Military
installations employ more than 30,000 people in the Colorado Springs area.
The popular resort town also has become a prime destination for retired
military personnel, who come to enjoy the scenery and find like-minded
neighbors. James Dobson's Focus on the Family also makes its home in the
5th, along with other evangelical organizations.
Defense cutbacks threatened the district in the mid-1990s when Congress
tried but failed to put Fort Carson on its list of closures. Since then, the
district has made itself an indispensable arm of the modern military.
Colorado Springs now houses the U.S. Space Command, the North American
Aerospace Defense Command and a good portion of the country's satellite
defense research.
The city also has broadened its economic base - only 40 percent of the
city's jobs are directly tied to the military, down from 70 percent. But
much of the new industry, including superconductor and computer development,
depends on the defense industry. Like much of Colorado's Front Range, the
city attracts lots of money from tourists, many of whom come to make the
14,110-foot ascent up Pikes Peak.
Major Industry
Military, tourism, semiconductors
Military Bases
Fort Carson (Army), 14,000 military, 2,100 civilian; Peterson Air Force Base
and Cheyenne Mountain (NORAD), 4,318 military, 4,567 civilian; U.S. Air
Force Academy, 2,300 military, 1,800 civilian; Schriever Air Force Base,
2,281 military, 361 civilian (1997)
Population
549,264 (1990)
Cities
Colorado Springs, 345,127 (1996); Castlewood (unincorporated), 24,392;
Southglenn (unincorporated) (pt.), 24,147 (1990)
People
79% urban; 7% age 65+ (ranks sixth of six in state; bottom third
nationally); 63% married couples, 33% married couples with children; 30%
college educated (ranks second of six in state; top third nationally); 68%
white collar (ranks second of six in state; top third nationally), 18% blue
collar (ranks fifth of six in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)
Race
89% white, 6% black, 2% Asian; 7% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$33,348 (ranks third of six in state; top third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
U.S. Olympic Headquarters in Colorado Springs.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 5
