Phoenix Valley POLITICS - Area breakdown? (Tucson, Mesa: section 8, neighborhood, school district)

[ScottsdaleMark]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Yeah, I agree totally. Very well said and I think we are saying the same thing.

What hasn't been said is that politics has become increasingly more cultural than about adopting strict belief systems. It's equivalent to supporting sports teams. There is a lot of homerism with regard to politics. If your parents and friends are Democrats or Republicans, you tend to vote the same way. You tend to ridicule the same politicians rather than their ideology because culturally that is what everyone does in your area. If you are from Boston, you will ridicule Bush. If you are from the South, you ridicule Obama or "Obummer" as they call it.

What I like about Phoenix is that you seem to have both here. For example, if I'm in Texas, I can casually make an Obama joke and there is a good chance it will be well accepted. If I was in California, I can casually make a Bush or Republican joke and there is a good chance, it will be accepted. In Phoenix, you don't know who is who so I don't make casual jokes because this place is so split, you have no idea who supports what. It really does feel like what America was designed to be; it has that melting pot feel.

Good post and I agree completely. In coastal cities, even if you are a conservative, you hear so many Bush jokes, etc., you are used to it and know how to respond. You're not going to fly off the handle or let it upset you because you're so used to it. Similarly if you're a liberal in much of non-coastal America, you are used to all the Obama jokes, etc., and don't let it ruin your day.

That said, in my experience in some of those homogeneous areas, both red and blue, saying the opposite opinion out loud isn't that common and can incite some strong responses. It's like they're offended that you can live in THEIR "safe space" city/town/college/whatever and still hold your "unacceptable" opinions. I've seen that go both ways, red and blue.

[Pink Jazz]

As for political split, even some cities are divided themselves. For example, while Chandler and Scottsdale lean conservative as a whole, West Chandler and South Scottsdale are more liberal while East Chandler and North Scottsdale are more conservative.

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

The west valley including Glendale tends to vote democrat, the congressional districts and state legislative districts are all served by democrats.

Peoria I know is strongly conservative, and based on some data that I have seen, Glendale overall leans conservative. The Southwest Valley (Avondale/Tolleson/Goodyear) though is more liberal.

[ajonesaz]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Conservative is too broad of a term. There are fiscal conservatives and social conservatives. Compared to the northeast and west coast, Phoenix feels conveservative. Compared to the south and mountain states, Phoenix feels liberal. Overall, I would say it's more of a fiscal conservatism and social moderate-liberal vibe here. I know many conservatives who moved here and left because they felt it was too liberal and too close to California

Agreed - I try to explain to people that AZ has two very different kind of "conservatives". We have the Mormon Conservatives and the Libertarian Conservative.

[skydude24]

Originally Posted by ajonesaz

Agreed - I try to explain to people that AZ has two very different kind of "conservatives". We have the Mormon Conservatives and the Libertarian Conservative.

I totally agree with this description. I think this is the dichotomy that has split the Republican party.

I identify as a Libertarian for the most part. When I compare my politics to another "conservative's" we hold opposing viewpoints on many issues. I also find myself agreeing with many of my liberal friends viewpoints.

To answer the OP's question though:
More liberal areas include Tempe, historical districts, and central Phoenix.
More conservative areas include Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek and Scottsdale.

Large generalizations though and I am not sure they are even 60% accurate.

[TempeAZnative]

I laugh when is hear how liberal Tempe is. I'm libertarian, socially tolerant and fiscal conservative which is the same as everyone I know. When I think liberal it think modern day socialist liberal which I don't see a lot of.

[Potential_Landlord]

One thing to keep in mind is that our very conservative state legislature will pre-empt any local, liberal policies they don't like. While at the same time decrying the Federal government as "intrusive" etc. This makes Arizona conservatives a bunch of hypocrites who would make any Pharisee proud and also severely reduces the ability of liberal enclaves to maintain anything liberal on a local level. Examples that come to my mind from Tempe: local ordinance to prohibit plastic bags, local ordinance requiring low-cost housing in new developments. Both were preempted by the state government at the behest of special interest industry groups.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

The democrat strongholds in the valley are in Phoenix between the north side of South Mountain Park and around Camelback as the northern limit, Tempe north of Broadway, and most of the west valley suburbs south of Northern Ave. Northwestern Phoenix proper (north of Cactus, and west of 19th Ave) is actually very republican

[Java Jolt]

So it's safe to say the Phoenix area with a population of over four million residents contains a few strong conservative areas, a few liberal pockets, and falls somewhere in the middle overall.

Why then do ultraconservatives seem to dominate much of the state government especially in the legislature, and why do the voters keep re-electing them?

Is it because republicans vote more often than democrats, and what about independents who now make up the majority of voters? Do they tend to side with republicans more?

With all the backlash against the legislature for cutting education and passing so many clownish bills, it's apparent the elected officials don't represent the viewpoints of the majority of citizens.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

So it's safe to say the Phoenix area with a population of over four million residents contains a few strong conservative areas, a few liberal pockets, and falls somewhere in the middle overall.

Why then do ultraconservatives seem to dominate much of the state government especially in the legislature, and why do the voters keep re-electing them?

Is it because republicans vote more often than democrats, and what about independents who now make up the majority of voters? Do they tend to side with republicans more?

With all the backlash against the legislature for cutting education and passing so many clownish bills, it's apparent the elected officials don't represent the viewpoints of the majority of citizens.

Because the State is more than the Phoenix Metro. Phoenix metro is generally conservative, especially the Gilbert/Mesa Duo and then almost the entire state except Tucson and Flagstaff are very Conservative. But AZ doesn't have that southern evangelical social tilt, theoritically it's more inline with Goldwater. But as we continue to be flooded with Midwestern transplants escaping their corrupt governments, and punishing Democrats thus enabling our corrupt government, that seems less true.

Also, as I learned in a certain campaign for a Democratic Governor, Democrats are here but they don't vote so you're right there.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Because the State is more than the Phoenix Metro. Phoenix metro is generally conservative, especially the Gilbert/Mesa Duo and then almost the entire state except Tucson and Flagstaff are very Conservative. But AZ doesn't have that southern evangelical social tilt, theoritically it's more inline with Goldwater. But as we continue to be flooded with Midwestern transplants escaping their corrupt governments, and punishing Democrats thus enabling our corrupt government, that seems less true.

Also, as I learned in a certain campaign for a Democratic Governor, Democrats are here but they don't vote so you're right there.

Well-written except Arizona has at least four counties that always go blue, I think three of them are sparsely populated but Pima County is one of the larger democratic strongholds.

Considering this and how a few parts of the Phoenix area are solidly blue, you would think this would give a little more balance but the ultraconservatives still rule in the legislature and keep getting re-elected despite the general dissatisfaction among the public.

I'm a democrat and I always vote but I don't always choose democrats, I try to pick the people who are best for the job.

Maybe if more people became educated on the candidates instead of always voting a straight party line we would have better leadership on all levels of government.