Ground Teams Work to Get-Out-The-Vote in CO

The Coloradoan reports that Obama is narrowly leading John McCain with 49% to 45%. With the critical state remaining so close, both campaigns have upped their ground forces in order to get-out-the-vote.

In Aspen, the Obama campaign efforts have hit an all time high. The Aspen Daily News reports, "The overwhelmingly Democratic-voting Pitkin County (Aspen included) — where Democratic candidate John Kerry received more than twice as many votes as President George W. Bush in 2004 — is being targeted as a voting sector that can put Obama over the top for Colorado’s nine electoral votes. Because any vote from this area is most likely a vote for Obama, his local boosters are focused primarily on registering as many locals as they can." Obama campaign workers have been canvasing the county on foot armed with voter registration cards and campaign literature. Similarly, the McCain campaign has been boosting their ground work as well.

With the VP nomination of Sarah Palin, the Coloradoan Republican base has been reinvigorated. It is because of this reason that the McCain campaign has been working hard to recruit the female vote in Colorado. Additionally, other women candidates running for office in the state are hoping to either align themselves with the Palin image or stand in contrast to it.

The Rocky Mountain News is covering the House District 31 race in which a female Democratic candidate is being challenged by Holly Hansen, a first time Republican candidate. Hansen's get-out-the-vote strategy is to go door-to-door advocating the McCain-Palin ticket and, in a way, likening herself to the VP nod. "Hansen, a 35-year-old working mother of two making her first run for office, has gone to homes where unaffiliated female residents said they have never voted Republican but are open to considering GOP candidates. 'Outside the political spectrum, people like me are looking for role models. I think her candidacy will energize young suburban moms to get out and vote and support local candidates,' Hansen said. 'I think Sarah Palin kind of gives permission to some of those disenfranchised women who have felt that the party was out of touch to come back and look at the party again.' "