Cleave Simpson

Cleave Simpson
Simpson in 2024
Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 12, 2025
Preceded byPaul Lundeen
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2023
Preceded byRedistricted
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 35th district
In office
January 13, 2021 – January 9, 2023
Preceded byLarry Crowder
Succeeded byRedistricted
Personal details
BornCleave Alan Simpson Jr.
1960 or 1961 (age 64–65)
Alamosa, Colorado, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseCathy
EducationColorado School of Mines (BS)
WebsiteCampaign website

Cleave Alan Simpson Jr. (born 1960/1961) is an American politician from Alamosa, Colorado. A Republican, Simpson represents Colorado State Senate District 6. Prior to the implementation of 2020 redistricting in 2023, Simpson represented the former Colorado State Senate District 35. He was elected as minority leader in June 2025.

Background

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.

Electoral history

In the 2020 Republican primary election of Colorado's 35th Senate district, Simpson ran unopposed. In the 2020 general election, Simpson defeated his Democratic Party opponent, winning 60.12% of the vote.

Simpson ran for re-election in 2024. In the Republican primary election held June 25, 2024, he ran unopposed. In the general election held November 5, 2024, Simpson defeated Democratic candidate Vivian Smotherman, winning 55.91% of the total votes cast.

2020 Colorado Senate election, 35th District
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

References

  1. ↑ "Colorado State Sen. Cleave Simpson - Biography | LegiStorm".
  2. ↑ "Sen. Cleave Simpson joins open lands board with Leave No Trace's Jeff Trujillo". December 12, 2023.
  3. ↑ "New state senate district: For Simpson, it's still about water". Alamosa Citizen. January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission (March 18, 2022). "Colorado Senate District 6 (2021)" (PDF). State of Colorado. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Legislative District Information After 2011 Reapportionment: Senate District 35" (PDF). Colorado Reapportionment Commission. December 22, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Sara (June 12, 2025). "Colorado Senate Republicans choose Cleave Simpson as minority leader". Colorado Newsline. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  7. ↑ "About". Simpson for CO Senate 35. 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  8. ↑ Severance, Ryan (September 2, 2020). "Simpson aiming for Colorado Senate District 35 seat". The Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Colorado election results: June 30, 2020 primary election, official results". Colorado Secretary of State. October 27, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Colorado election results: November 3, 2020 general election". Colorado Secretary of State. November 23, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Colorado election results: June 25, 2024 primary election: State Senator District 6 Republican". Colorado Secretary of State. October 15, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  12. ↑ "November 5, 2024 general election: State senator District 6". Colorado Secretary of State. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.