DENVER—Population growth is changing the face of politics in the American West—and it looks a lot younger, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said Monday.
Before 2002, Republicans held a majority of the top posts in the West, but Democrats have since won governorships in Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
Napolitano contends that a growing population and changing demographics are putting the West more in play for Democrats in the presidential race.
Napolitano said the fact that Republican Sen. John McCain is from Arizona and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama is from Illinois doesn’t necessarily give McCain the advantage in the West.
Arizona, often thought of as attracting retirees, is now one of the five youngest U.S. states in terms of median age, and the fastest-growing segment of the population is children younger than age 5, Napolitano said.
A quarter of the people who will cast votes in Arizona this November have never seen McCain’s name on a ballot, because they’re newcomers or first-time voters, Napolitano said.
“You can’t just depend on incumbency to win races anymore,” Napolitano said.
The latest Gallup Poll daily tracking update had Obama and McCain tied at 45 percent among registered voters.
“We intend for this area not only to be a battleground this fall but to be the margin of victory for the next president of the United States,” Napolitano said.
