by Xinhua writers Peter Mertz, Huang Heng
BOULDER, the United States, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- With a month to go before the U.S. election day which falls on Nov. 8, voters in Colorado, a pivotal western state in this year's chase for presidency, still splits after two rounds of presidential debates.
After Trump's lewd remarks and bragging about forcing himself on women were released Friday, Colorado's two biggest Republicans have asked him to step down, namely U.S. Senator Cory Gardener and U.S. House 6th Dist. Rep. Mike Coffman. Meanwhile, Colorado's Clinton supporters called Trump's remarks as a turning point in the election.
But Boulder's Dark Horse Bar and Grill, an oasis of conservative thought in Colorado's most liberal city, was packed with Trump loyalists during Sunday night's second round of presidential debate against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Colorado is a traditional "swing state" with the most conservative city in America, Colorado Springs, which is 120 km south of Denver and one of the most liberal cities, Boulder, located 80 km north of the state capitol.
Nancy Leong, a law professor with the University of Denver, said she knew no college professors who would vote for Trump and his sexist remarks would permanently damage his chances because women represent more than half of America's electorate.
Reaction from Utah's conservative Mormon Church over the weekend also condemned Trump, with many of its leaders urging him to withdraw as the GOP candidate.
Although many prominent western republican women pulled away from their party leader in the past 48 hours, at the Dark Horse, conservative loyalty filled the air.
"Locker room talk," said Penny Gage, 73, a retired real estate investor, who came to the gathering wearing her Trump "Make America Strong Again" cap, and long, blond hair dyed red, white and blue.
"It's unfortunate that this has to be pulled out and be a part of the debate, especially in light of what the Clintons have done," she said, claiming that Trump had won Sunday's debate.
Most Trump supporters voiced their dislike of Clinton, with an unusual endorsement coming from Jukka Pawley, 30, a violin teacher and openly gay African-American. About 80 percent of both gays and blacks in the United States vote democratic, surveys showed.
"Hillary is all Goldman (Sachs) and she will raise our taxes, and corporate taxes, and they will continue to outsource jobs to other countries when their taxes get raised," Pawley said, "And the sex talk, you know everybody talks like that behind closed doors."
"He's a bigot, and I've had enough of him and American politics for a while," said Billy Jordan, a manager at the bar.
Jordan and several fellow managers were quick to tell Trump supporters to remove a life-size cardboard cutout of the billionaire from the corner of the bar.
"If I see it standing again I'm going to throw it in the trash," he said as the debate began, then a Trump female supporter stood up and objected calmly, but the manager reminded her that it was a bipartisan bar.
Forest Kitzis, 33, a "moderate republican" law school student at the University of Colorado Boulder, said that America should now concentrate on fiscal spending, something he thought Trump understands.
"Real conservatives talk about spending containment, and I've never heard him talk about cutting our military budget that is out of control. He won't get my vote," he said.
