Colorado Proving To Be Key In Presidential Election
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence and Hillary Clinton's daughter Chelsea have been in Colorado rallying voters. Former President Bill Clinton is also campaigning in Colorado.
With all the appearances the campaigns obviously think Colorado is still up for grabs, which is why both sides are working around the clock to turnout their voters.
Deidre Harper and Jan Howman are super volunteers working sunup until sundown seven days a week to turnout the vote. They are key to Republicans' ground game, which the national party says is triple the size of its 2012 effort in Colorado.
"Colorado Republicans I think have come a long way in a short period of time," CBS4 Republican Political Analyst Dick Wadhams said. "The problem they're dealing with is a presidential nominee who didn't have ground game."
Wadhams says Donald Trump does have an enthusiasm advantage that could help offset his lack of a ground game.
"When he can fill a 3,000-person hall during a Broncos game in Colorado, you've got something going for you," he said.
But there's also enthusiastic opposition to Trump. The Clinton campaign has 20,000 volunteers in Colorado and 30 offices across the state. Democratic consultant Craig Hughes says it's all about turnout now.
"Even in smaller, rural, less Democratic areas -- have the ability to really eek out every last vote," Hughes said.
Both parties have also invested millions of dollars in sophisticated data mining technology that drills down to the micro level -- swing voters in swing counties.
"I think probably the way it's used Democrats have a little bit of an advantage because they have more volunteers," Hughes said.
Both campaigns see Colorado as key to winning the presidency.