[DeltAlum]

Here's a question that is slightly off the topic.

Can ethnicity (other than caucasion) help a candidate in a geographic area that doesn't match her/his racial/ethnic background?

Here's the case in point.

The present Denver mayor is a caucasion male -- we're going to disregard him for just that reason.

The previous mayor for several terms, Wellington Webb, is a black man.

The mayor before him for several terms, Federico Pena, is a hispanic male.

Both are Democrats. Webb is powerful in the party and Pena was in Clinton's cabinet.

The City of Denver demographics when both were elected were roughly:

7% African American
13% Hispanic
1% Native American
3% Asian
76% other -- mostly caucasion.

With those demos, why would Pena and Webb ever be elected? Does it fly in the face of the apparent assumption that "White Christians" (or white anything) will be presumed to vote for a white Christian?

Could it mean that many white people vote for a minority candidate to appear more "liberal" or non-prejudiced.

Or, could it mean that sometimes the electorate just votes for the best person?

(I live in a surburb and don't vote in Denver elections, but in my opinion, both Pena and Webb were outstanding mayors. I think the present mayor is also doing a really good job as well.)

Granted that Colorado politics can be a little strange. We have a "Bush Republican" governor in his second term and went for Bush in the recent election, but voted in a Democrat legislature majority (It had been Republican before the last election), and Democratic U.S. Senator and House of Representatives Hispanic brother team. The newly elected Senator replaced the only Native American U.S. Senator (who retired) who was a former Democrat, turned Republican a couple of terms ago.