}, 100); Email [emailprotected]. Mobolade, who picked up the endorsements of some prominent Republicans, focused on issues like hiring more police officers, creating affordable housing, conserving water and cutting red tape for businesses. .votebox-scroll-container { padding-left: 10px; The results have been certified. .results_table_container { Independent candidate becomes first elected Black mayor of Colorado Springs, Victims confront Colorado Springs gay nightclub killer, calling shooter a monster and a coward, Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ club mass killer gets life in prison, victim says devil awaits defendant, Alabama senator says Space Command prefers Huntsville for HQ, but command has no comment, in a state that was once a battleground state. } [9] Mobolade defeated Williams in the runoff election on May 16, 57 percent to 43 percent, to become the first Black person elected mayor of Colorado Springs[a][11] and the first elected mayor who is not known to be a member of the Republican Party. text-align: center; top: 0px; I mean swearing in is on June 6, but because Im a futurist, Ive already started meeting with community leaders. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. } font-weight: bold; But I still have not forgotten how it is to be on the outside, and our government needs to represent all people, Mobolade said. Im not the type of person who is drawn to power so its weird in all the right ways. A desire for more middle ground is also reflected in the emergence of third-party movements, like Andrew Yangs Forward Party and the Joe Lieberman-founded group No Labels. Tozer Theological Seminary in California, where church history opened his eyes to the many ways Christs followers have carried out Gods work outside the walls of the church through service, education, charity, hospitals, the arts and sciences, government and more. Maybe, a few years from now, itll become common to see a nonpartisan candidate win a local election. Colorado Springs city election - live updates: Yemi Mobolade keeps Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? } ince Colorado Springs began electing mayors in 1979, it had never not elected a Republican. The mayoral runoff election is on May 16, when voters will choose between career politician Wayne Williams and political newcomer and businessman Yemi Mobolade, the two candidates who got the letter-spacing: .03em; And Im not the only one. I know theres a hunger and appetite for this around the country.. I am an insider now. Alayna Alvarez wrote for Axios that his win ushers in a new era for a city that has borne some of the largest political movements in the country. His administration is working with three of the candidates who ran against him. As a first-time candidate, he soundly defeated Wayne Williams, a former Republican Colorado secretary of state and current member of the Colorado Springs City Council who outraised and outspent him. [4][6], In 2010, Mobolade settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mobolade is not the first Black man to serve as Springs mayor. But in a recent interview, Mayor Mobolade said he seeks the common good for all citizens, not just his own faith tribe. } display: inline-block; } He moved to the U.S. as a teenager, spending his first years in Indiana before moving to Colorado and settling in Colorado Springs. I believe that we can unite around a common purpose of city greatness and citizen greatness. } padding-top: 3px; Moderate Democrats generally performed well against very right-wing Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections, and MAGA-despised Republican Brian Kemp beat Stacey Abrams in the Georgia governors race. .votebox-results-cell--number { Those numbers are perfectly in step with a Gallup poll counting a record-breaking 49% of Americans identifying as politically independent in March. .election_results_text { Three priorities drive Yemi Mobolade's 100-day plan, chief of staff } And I am just a natural disrupter but I do it in a way that Im not an activist but I am a disrupter and I do it in a way that is winsome, that brings people together, that acts as a change agent, but in a way that moves moves us forward and uniting people in the process. Over the years, Mobolade reached, inspired and won the respect of thousands of people by putting his faith into action and doing good. .widget-key { Those values, plus an economic crash in the town, opened the door to the business of evangelical ministries. Their commitment to their faith was evident when they gave names to their second son, born in 1979. Apr 4, 2023 Updated Apr 4, 2023 Yemi Mobolade Early returns showed businessman Yemi Mobolade, who's seen as progressive, capturing the most votes in the city election. Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here. margin-top: 1px; I am in a really unique position as one who wants to humanize politics. background-color: #003388; Colorado Springs first Black mayor was Leon Young, who became interim mayor in 1997 following the resignation of Mayor Bob Isaac but was not elected. C&MA hired Mobolade to start a new church in the city and do other work with the denomination. Political newcomer Yemi Mobolade wins Colorado Springs mayor's race .widget-row.Republican { His answer goes back to his 1980s childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, where he lived until he was 17. EDITORIAL: Mobolade wins from outside the political establishment Its also in tackling our affordability crisis. background-color: white; Blessing "Yemi" Mobolade (born 1978 or 1979)[1][2] is a Nigerian-American businessman and politician. The local newspaper called it a seismic shift in local politics. } $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => { .votebox { . padding-bottom: 0px; Peso Pluma reflects on lost love in his new heartbreak anthem, Bye.. display: block; Im inspired by the stories of the reformers before us, including leaders like Dr. [Martin Luther] King and Abraham Lincoln. }) })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. Fake AOC Twitter Account? DENVER (AP) An independent candidate defeated a longtime Republican office holder to become the first elected Black mayor in Colorado Springs, Colorados second-largest city with a history of being a conservative stronghold. .inner_percentage.Green { In an ad campaign that labeled him liberal Yemi Mobolade, his opponent Wayne Williams accused Mobolade of supporting a vague policy that sounds exactly like socialism and urged voters to protect your city, vote conservative Republican. Mobolade responded by calling Williams posturing desperation and that was about as negative as his campaign ever got. His Republican opponent, political veteran Wayne Williams, has conceded. Yemi Mobolade - Ballotpedia .widget-row.value-only.white { Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot. Thats what led him to Colorado Springs in 2010. border-radius: 50%; He will be the first mayor who is not a member of the Republican party to become mayor since the city started electing mayors 45 years ago, according to The Gazette. Colorado Springs voters have elected Yemi Mobolade a 44-year-old Nigerian immigrant who moved to the city in 2010 and emerged as a business and church leader to serve as the citys 42nd mayor in a runoff election by a double-digit margin. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { How race and identity are shaping politics, policy and power. background-color: green; The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. .widget-row.Libertarian { Colorado Springs, nicknamed the evangelical Vatican, was the birthplace of the culture wars of the 1980s and 90s. margin: 8px auto; Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant, entrepreneur, Christian community leader and agent of good disruption made history Tuesday, becoming the first Black man and first non-Republican to be elected mayor of Colorado Springs, Colo., in more than four decades. The tiredness and frustration in our city and in our nation is around partisan divide and the fighting that happens. Source. May we commit ourselves to building a city that is inclusive, culturally rich, economically prosperous, safe and vibrant., That last line came straight from his inaugural speech, given just two weeks prior, where his main theme was unity. I look forward to working with the mayor-elect.. As a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, an evangelical protestant denomination that was headquartered in the area at the time, he attended a conference and fell in love with the city. Let us know whom we should profile next. a Black Christian and a Black secular humanist debate and discuss, The India problem under the surface at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions. THE RECAST: Your win has been described as a seismic shift in the politics of Colorado Springs. } div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } He met his wife, Abbey, in Indiana and earned masters degrees in management and leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. Mobolade was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. His adopted city, he does not hesitate to remind me, was the inspiration behind the lyrics for America the Beautiful., We spoke on Friday, just hours after his runoff election results were certified. border: 1px solid #999; Those are not what inspire me. .non_result_row { } margin-bottom: 0px; Mobolade's current term ends on April 20, 2027. Williams had raised far more campaign money. .widget-value { Yemi Mobolade cheers as he runs onto the stage to give his victory speech Tuesday during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs. He cited Abraham Lincoln, the Rev. Mobolade says his May 16 runoff victory was buoyed by grassroots support; voters were eager to bring about change in the city. Mayoral elections in Colorado Springs are nonpartisan. $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { It is respect for basic values: hard work, striving, caution, prudence, family, tradition, God, citizenship, and the American flag. .widget-row.value-only { Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. I said new American; Im actually more American than I am anything else. State and local courts | color: #888; border: 1px solid #a2a9b1 !important; padding-bottom: 3px; People are just ready for a new type of leadership that puts our quality of life ahead of party politics.. Mobolades is a classic immigrant success story. display: inline-block; MOBOLADE: Theres concern in every city. $('.showResponses').hide(); } Its just one of many firsts hell bring with him when hes sworn in on June 6. Yemi Mobolade considers himself a futurist, but even he couldn't predict the history he made this month when voters of Colorado Springs made him the city's first elected Black mayor. The West African culture Yemi Mobolade grew up with prescribed that children were expected to defer to their parents. Political newcomer leads in COS mayoral race | News | csindy.com background-color: #db0000; Please donate here to support our continued expansion. Its also tackling our aging infrastructure. }. }) Mobolade wanted to emphasize that he is. I want us to be Americans because what we have got is good. Yemi Mobolade's momentous victory last week as Colorado Springs' first elected Black mayor and its first non-Republican leader in at least 45 years signifies even more than what's on the surface. padding-left: 8px; position: absolute; Sometimes it takes a new American to remind us of who we are. Obviously, you were aware that you were up against 45 years of Republican mayoral control. Southwest flight attendants say backroom deal has stripped them of Colorados new sick leave protections, Colorado River restrictions eased thanks to lucky rain and snow but negotiators race toward long-term fix, Colorados recently struck child sex abuse law to receive second chance through proposed constitutional amendment, Republican Jeff Hurd announces his intention to replace Rep. Lauren Boebert in Congress, Rockslide with massive boulders shuts down I-70 stretch on Western Slope, Keeler: CU Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders isn't Cody Hawkins. One of the reasons I ran is because they say trust in political leadership is [near] all-time historic lows right now. [4] Mobolade was the vice president of business retention for Colorado Springs' chamber of commerce from 2017 to 2019 and small business development manager for Colorado Springs from 2019 to 2022. I am an idealist. Over 53 % of El Paso County residents voted for Donald Trump in 2020. State executives | .race_footer { Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade cheers as he runs onto the stage to give a speech, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP), Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade speaks to his supporters, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP), Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade, center, poses for photos his supporters, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP), Joe Hollmann, center campaign team member for Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Yemi Mobolade, and other supporters watch as the early results are tallied, Tuesday, May 16, 2023, during an election watch party at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP). Spoiler Alert: Hes partial to Mayor Yemi.. letter-spacing: 0.03em; A lot of people want the partisan temperature to drop, says Vanderbilt political science professor and nationally renowned political observer John Geer. I had my first ribbon cutting [on Thursday]. text-align: center; Yemi Mobolade makes Colorado Springs history, becoming city's first He also worked in city government in posts promoting economic development and helping small businesses. margin-top: 1em; Ive lived in this country for 27 years, though Ive only been a citizen for almost six. Want to share a story? Tozer Theological Seminary in California. City leaders this year approved a controversial ordinance requiring guaranteed water supplies at 128% of demand before allowing any annexation of new land for development a looming factor in the mayoral election. I think about General Palmer and his vision for this city. $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { overflow-x: scroll; Colorado Springs elects a Nigerian immigrant and political independent as mayor, Colorado Springs clergy speak out against religious hate speech that leads to violence, Its a short distance from your Thanksgiving table jokes to queer people being shot dead | Opinion by Amber Wylde. margin-bottom: 4px; He arrived in Colorado Springs in 2010, planting a church for the Christian and Missionary Alliance, serving as a pastor and worship leader at First Presbyterian Church, founding businesses, working for the citys economic development council, and co-founding the nonprofit COSILOveYou, which is affiliated with the national City Gospel Movement.

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