Santa Cruz voters lean to the left

With a population of nearly 63,000, Santa Cruz is known for its coastal beauty, artistic vibes, redwood forests, and leaning to the left.

During the Presidential Primary Election in 2012, just over 8,000 people in Santa Cruz County voted for republican candidate Mitt Romney, a small fraction when compared to the nearly 34,000 that cast their ballot for President Barack Obama. A trend that Republicans are aware of.

“I mean it’s a very liberal area. We’re trying to maintain the mantle of the Republican Party. And so we have to get out and get our message,” said Santa Cruz Republican Party Chair Susan Allen.

It is an uphill battle, however the party still tries to get the message out any way they can.

“We don’t have a lot of resources, we’re all volunteers usually we do a lot of outreach through the county fair, outreach through Facebook, social media and our website,” said Allen.

But outreach can be hard in Santa Cruz.

“Republican stands for me as conservative throwback,” said Sally Nashelsky.

Do you always vote for the Democrat Party you say?

“Yes I do. Sometimes by default. It may not be the best choice but it’s the best choice of two,” said George Peabody.

Some of the issues Santa Cruz voters said matter most to them range from global warming to the economy.

“Our planet is dying,” said Nashelsky.

“Healthcare. Abortion rights. The economy,” said Laura Fava.

“Legalize recreational marijuana. And we have a lot of poverty rate here in our country that needs to be dealt with. Those are the big issues for me,” said George Peabody.