Cleave Simpson | |
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Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate | |
Assumed office June 12, 2025 | |
Preceded by | Paul Lundeen |
Member of the Colorado Senate from the 6th district | |
Assumed office January 9,2023 | |
Preceded by | Redistricted |
Member of the Colorado Senate from the 35th district | |
In office January 13,2021 –January 9,2023 | |
Preceded by | Larry Crowder |
Succeeded by | Redistricted |
Personal details | |
Born | Cleave Alan Simpson Jr. 1960or1961(age 63–64) Alamosa,Colorado,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Cathy |
Education | Colorado School of Mines (BS) |
Website | Campaign website |
Cleave Alan Simpson Jr. [1] (born 1960/1961) [2] is an American politician from Alamosa,Colorado. A Republican,Simpson represents Colorado State Senate District 6. [3] [4] Prior to the implementation of 2020 redistricting in 2023,Simpson represented the former Colorado State Senate District 35. [5] He was elected as minority leader in June 2025. [6]
Simpson is the general manager of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District and also served on the Adams State University Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2020. A native of the San Luis Valley,he is a fourth-generation farmer and rancher there. He graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1984. [7] [8]
In the 2020 Republican primary election of Colorado's 35th Senate district,Simpson ran unopposed. [9] In the 2020 general election,Simpson defeated his Democratic Party opponent,winning 60.12% of the vote. [10]
Simpson ran for re-election in 2024. In the Republican primary election held June 25,2024,he ran unopposed. [11] In the general election held November 5,2024,Simpson defeated Democratic candidate Vivian Smotherman,winning 55.91% of the total votes cast. [12]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Cleave Simpson | 43,970 | 60.12% | |
Democratic | Carlos R. Lopez | 29,163 | 39.88% | |
Total votes | 73,133 | 100% | ||
Republican hold |