Which way blows the political breeze?

• President Bush’s vote total increased two percentage points from 57 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2004.
• The Democratic candidate for governor received at least 54 percent of the vote in the past two elections.
• U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson received a 9 percentage point boost from 2000 to 2004, collecting two-thirds of all votes.

Draper
Population (2004): 33,042
5th most conservative city
Turnout: 81 percent

• President Bush topped 70 percent of the vote in both of his elections.
• Republican Jon Huntsman took two-thirds of the votes for governor in 2004, four years earlier, former Gov. Mike Leavitt received 62 percent.
• U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson only took 42 percent of the vote in 2000, but grabbed 50 percent four years later.

Salt Lake City
Population (2004): 178,605
Most liberal city
Turnout: 74 percent

• President Bush lost Salt Lake City by the same margin in 2000 and 2004, receiving only 42 percent of the vote.
• More than two-thirds of voters selected Scott Matheson over Jon Huntsman for governor in 2004. Huntsman eventually won.
• Salt Lake City is split between the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts, with the overwhelming majority voting for the Democratic candidate in both races.

West Valley City
Population (2004): 112,678
10th most conservative city
Turnout: 70 percent

• President Bush's vote total increased seven percentage points from 55 percent in 2000 to 62 percent in 2004.
• The Democratic candidate for governor received at least 54 percent of the vote in the past two elections.
• U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon lost West Valley by 10 percentage points in 2000 to Democrat Donald Dunn, but received 50 percent of the vote in 2004.

South Salt Lake
Population (2004): 21,510
2nd most liberal city
Turnout: 62 percent

• President Bush won South Salt Lake in 2000, but just barely, because liberal votes were split between Al Gore and Ralph Nader, but in 2004, his vote total improved. He split the vote with John Kerry.
• Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Orton took 58 percent of the votes in 2000 and Democrat Scott Matheson collected 62 percent in 2004. Both ultimately lost.
• South Salt Lake voters are big U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson fans. The 2nd Congressional representative garnered 65 percent of the vote in 2000 and 72 percent in 2004.

Taylorsville
Population (2004): 58,179
8th most conservative city
Turnout: 73 percent

• President Bush’s vote total increased by six percentage points from 2000 to 2004. He received nearly two-thirds of all votes in the last election.
• Taylorsville voters narrowly gave the nod to the Democratic candidates for governor in the past two elections by a 51 to 49 margin.
• 3rd District Rep. Chris Cannon lost Taylorsville in 2000 to Democrat Donald Dunn, taking only 45 percent of the vote. But in 2004, Cannon edged out Democrat Beau Babka 51 to 49.

Murray
Population (2004): 43,328
Evenly split, so it’s either the 5th most liberal or 11th most conservative
Turnout: 81 percent

• President Bush received a four percentage point boost from Murray voters in 2004, going from 57 percent to 61 percent.
• Democrats did well in their campaigns for governor, taking 53 percent in 2000 and 55 percent in 2004.
• Murray voters selected U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson three-fifths of the time in 2000 and two-thirds of the time in 2004.

Holladay
Population (2004): 19,311
9th most conservative city
Turnout: 83 percent

• Holladay voters support of President Bush didn’t change much between 2000 and 2004. He received 63 percent of the vote in his first election and 65 during his re-election bid.
• The Democratic candidates for governor in the past two elections took 51 percent of the vote.
• U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson’s support among Holladay voters grew. In 2000, he took 55 percent, but in 2004, he received 63 percent.

West Jordan
Population (2004): 89,011
6th most conservative city
Turnout: 74 percent

• President Bush received five more percentage points in 2004 than he did in 2000, going from 68 percent of the vote to 73 percent.
• The Republican candidate for governor in the past two elections received at least 56 percent of the vote.
• 2nd Congressional Rep. Jim Matheson split the vote in 2000, but after redistricting West Jordan fell into the 3rd Congressional District where Rep. Chris Cannon took 59 percent of the vote in 2004.

• President Bush collected three-fourths of the vote in 2000 and did even better in 2004, receiving four-fifths of the ballots.
• The Republican candidates for governor won over more than 60 percent of the voters in the past two elections.
• South Jordan gave U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon his largest margin of victory in Salt Lake County, taking 67 percent of the 2004 vote.

• President Bush’s support among Midvale voters jumped from 55 percent in 2000 to 59 percent four years later.
• Democratic gubernatorial candidates held strong with about 55 percent of the vote.
• Midvale votes for Rep. Jim Matheson were almost identical to that of Murray: 60 percent in 2000 and 66 in 2004.

Sandy
Population (2004): 89,979
7th most conservative city
Turnout: 79 percent

• President Bush didn’t receive the big bounce in Sandy that he did elsewhere in the county. Bush took 67 percent of the votes in 2000 and 69 percent four years later.
• Republican gubernatorial candidates hovered around 55 percent in the past two elections.
• U.S. Rep Jim Matheson narrowly lost Sandy in 2000, but the Democrat took the conservative stronghold in 2004 taking 58 percent of the vote.

Riverton
Population (2004): 30,119
4th most conservative city
Turnout: 79 percent

• President Bush gained seven percentage points and ultimately his second best showing in Salt Lake County in 2004. He went from 75 percent of the vote in 2000 to 82 percent.
• Republican candidates for governor enjoy strong support. Jon Huntsman captured 64 percent of the vote in 2004, while former Gov. Mike Leavitt received 59 percent in 2000.
• Riverton voters are strongly in U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon’s camp. He received at least 65 percent of the vote.

Herriman
Population (2004): 7,826
2nd most conservative city
Turnout: 90 percent

• The fastest growing city in the county also had the largest increase for President Bush. He gained 12 percentage points in 2004, collecting 82 percent of the vote.
• Herriman voters picked Jon Huntsman over Scott Matheson two to one, but had more tepid support of former Gov. Mike Leavitt in 2000.
• U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon ran over his Democratic challengers in this Republican stronghold.

Bluffdale
Population (2004): 6,087
Most conservative city
Turnout: 84 percent

• Not surprisingly, President Bush had his widest margin of victory in Bluffdale — an overwhelming 86 percent of the vote in 2004.
• Bluffdale voters also backed Jon Huntsman more than any other city, giving him 69 percent of the vote.
• In 2000 Bluffdale was in the 2nd Congressional District and was the only city that gave Jim Matheson’s opponent Republican Derek Smith more than 60 percent of the vote. Following redistricting, Bluffdale voters overwhelmingly supported Rep. Chris Cannon by more than 70 percent in 2004.