Independent candidate becomes first elected Black mayor of Colorado Springs

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — An independent candidate has defeated a longtime Republican office holder to become the first elected Black mayor in the Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second largest city with a reputation for being a conservative stronghold. The victory of Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant and entreprenuer who has never held elected office before, is the latest political setback for Republicans in a state that was once a battleground state. But that doesn’t mean a shift to the left. Mobolade picked up the endorsements of some prominent Republicans and focused on issues like hiring more police officers, creating affordable housing, conserving water and cutting red tape for businesses.