{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Cleave Simpson | image = Colorado State Senator Cleave Simpson (cropped).jpg | office = Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate | term_start = June 12, 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = Paul Lundeen | successor = | state_senate1 = Colorado | district1 = 6th | term_start1 = January 9, 2023 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Redistricted | successor1 = | state_senate2 = Colorado | district2 = 35th | term_start2 = January 13, 2021 | term_end2 = January 9, 2023 | predecessor2 = Larry Crowder | successor2 = Redistricted | birth_name = Cleave Alan Simpson Jr. | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|62|2023|12|12}} | birth_place = Alamosa, Colorado, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Cathy | education = Colorado School of Mines (BS) | website = {{url|simpsonforcolorado.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Cleave Alan Simpson Jr.'''<ref>{{cite web | title=Colorado State Sen. Cleave Simpson - Biography &#124; LegiStorm | url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/386882/Cleave_Alan_Simpson_Jr_.html }}</ref> (born 1960/1961)<ref>{{cite web | title=Sen. Cleave Simpson joins open lands board with Leave No Trace's Jeff Trujillo | date=December 12, 2023 | url=https://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_cd0c5cf4-9955-11ee-b89c-7ff6be14ffa3.html }}</ref> is an American politician from Alamosa, Colorado. A Republican, Simpson represents Colorado State Senate District 6.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=January 7, 2023 |title=New state senate district: For Simpson, it's still about water |url=https://www.alamosacitizen.com/new-state-senate-district-for-simpson-its-still-about-water/ |work=Alamosa Citizen |location= |access-date=January 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://redistricting.colorado.gov/rails/active_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--cc318817d783b5651b149aeadf1fcd1b986581c0/Legislative_Commissioner_Selections_03_16_21.pdf |title=Colorado Senate District 6 (2021) |author=Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission |date=March 18, 2022 |website= |publisher=State of Colorado |access-date=January 10, 2023 |quote=}}</ref> Prior to the implementation of 2020 redistricting in 2023, Simpson represented the former Colorado State Senate District 35.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://redistricting.colorado.gov/rails/active_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--ab81dbb6f64b974e55e04bfe43174be1aba2852f/SD%2035%20Info%20Sheet%20and%20Map.pdf|title=Legislative District Information After 2011 Reapportionment: Senate District 35 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=December 22, 2011 |website=Colorado Reapportionment Commission |access-date=November 24, 2020 }}</ref> He was elected as minority leader in June 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Sara |date=June 12, 2025 |title=Colorado Senate Republicans choose Cleave Simpson as minority leader |url=https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-cleave-simpson-minority-leader/ |work= Colorado Newsline |location= |access-date=June 12, 2025}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.coloradosenaterepublicans.com/simpson/ |title= About|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2019 |website=Simpson for CO Senate 35 |access-date=November 24, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Severance |first=Ryan |date=September 2, 2020 |title=Simpson aiming for Colorado Senate District 35 seat |url=https://www.chieftain.com/story/special/2020/09/02/simpson-aiming-for-colorado-senate-district-35-seat/113650046/ |work=The Pueblo Chieftain |access-date=November 24, 2020}}</ref>

==Electoral history== In the 2020 Republican primary election of Colorado's 35th Senate district, Simpson ran unopposed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/103901/web.255599/#/detail/5352 |title=Colorado election results: June 30, 2020 primary election, official results |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=October 27, 2020 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=November 24, 2020 }}</ref> In the 2020 general election, Simpson defeated his Democratic Party opponent, winning 60.12% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/105975/web.264614/#/detail/435 |title=Colorado election results: November 3, 2020 general election |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 23, 2020 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=November 24, 2020 }}</ref>

Simpson ran for re-election in 2024. In the Republican primary election held June 25, 2024, he ran unopposed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/121727/web.345435/#/detail/1065 |title=Colorado election results: June 25, 2024 primary election: State Senator District 6 Republican |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=October 15, 2024 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |publisher= |access-date=November 20, 2024 |quote=}}</ref> In the general election held November 5, 2024, Simpson defeated Democratic candidate Vivian Smotherman, winning 55.91% of the total votes cast.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/122598/web.345435/#/detail/1060 |title=November 5, 2024 general election: State senator District 6 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 20, 2024 |website=Colorado Secretary of State |publisher= |access-date=November 20, 2024 |quote=}}</ref>

{{Election box begin no change |title = 2020 Colorado Senate election, 35th District }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Cleave Simpson | votes = 43,970 | percentage = 60.12% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Carlos R. Lopez | votes = 29,163 | percentage = 39.88% }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 73,133 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Colorado Republican Party }} {{Election box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.simpsonforcolorado.com/ Campaign website] *[https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/cleave-simpson Legislative website]

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-co-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Paul Lundeen}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate|years=2025–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}

{{Colorado statewide political officials}} {{U.S. State Senate floor leaders}} {{Colorado State Senators}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Cleave}} Category:1960s births Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly Category:Colorado School of Mines alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Alamosa, Colorado Category:Republican Party Colorado state senators Category:Year of birth missing (living people)