Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

West Turning Blue, Dems Say

Party boasts strong voter registration, turnout in Mountain states

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 29, 2008 12:54 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Mountain West has historically gone for the GOP, but thanks to aggressive grass-roots organizing, Democrats believe they have a shot at turning red states blue, Politico reports. More field offices, opened much earlier than the GOP's, have boosted registration in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. “This presidential cycle is different,” says the head of New Mexico’s Democratic Party. “The ground game is completely different.”

Voter-registration efforts combined with surging Democratic turnout could prove the deciding factor in what have been very tight races the last few elections. The unusually early Nevada caucus this year energized Democratic efforts; Dems now have a 60,000 edge in registered voters over Republicans, who held a 10,000 edge in 2004.

Members of the Culinary Workers Union cheer as they announce the endorsement of Presidential candidate Barack Obama during a news conference at the Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Barack Obama holds a press conference with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. His campaign is aggressively courting Hispanic voters. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

Durham for Obama volunteers Patricia Branch, left, and Paula Thompson, center, assist as Ralietha Ellis fills out voter registration forms outside a grocery. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Brett Chikowski, of Fairfield, Calif., registers to vote during a rally for Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Vina Shirley, center, a member of the Culinary Workers Union, holds up a sign supporting supporting Barack Obama at an at-large caucus site at the Caesars Palace hotel and casino in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Obama Fights for Longtime Red States

North Carolina, Virginia key to 2012 strategy

(NEWSER) - It's not just about Ohio and Florida anymore. President Obama heads to North Carolina today then continues on to Virginia, hoping he can once again capture the longtime Republican strongholds in 2012; next week, it's off to the Mountain West, where he'll look for victory in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. "As Democrats, we can never go back to the 2000/2004 map," says a strategist. Those years required wins in either Ohio or Florida, but Democrats took neither state, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Paulson: In '08 Crisis, John McCain Had No Plan

Ex-Treasury sec says Mac risked putting US economy in freefall for 'political gambit'

(NEWSER) - With the US economy in utter freefall, John McCain suspended his presidential campaign, jetted to Washington, called a meeting to fix the crisis—then did nothing, according the Henry Paulson's new book, On the Brink . In an excerpt in the Wall Street Journal, the former Treasury secretary recounts McCain's odd refusal to speak at the emergency meeting he called, and how the Democrats and Barack Obama pounced. More»

South the Big Winner in New Census

Northeast, Midwest would lose seats if today's census was used

(NEWSER) - The South is gaining population and power at the expense of the Northeast and Midwest, according to Census Bureau estimates released yesterday. If House seats were distributed based on the estimates, which are believed to be a strong predictor of the 2010 census results, Texas would be the big winner, gaining three seats, with Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, and Washington each adding one. More»

'Rogue' Palin Was Reading From Script

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin was actually on message when she attacked Barack Obama’s relationship with former Weatherman Bill Ayers during last year's campaign, the Atlantic reports. A new book, The Battle for America, reveals that Palin received an email from top McCain staff suggesting she use the Ayers attack. It even specified the approved language. Strategists also planned to run a similar TV ad. More»

Mac Is Back, Pushing Reforms

GOP stalwart returns to Senate, eye on reining in lobbying and earmarks

(NEWSER) - Sen. John McCain, forgotten but not gone after his failed bid for the presidency, was back in form this week as he pushed bipartisan reform of earmarks and lobbying, Congressional Quarterly reports. Though the Arizona Republican’s eyes were watery and he had some trouble reading at the press conference, “He’s engaged and ready to go,” a GOP colleague affirmed. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

West Turning Blue, Dems Say

Party boasts strong voter registration, turnout in Mountain states

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • John McCain • New Mexico • Obama 2008 • grassroots • Nevada • Colorado • McCain 2008 • the Hispanic vote • young voters

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Obama Fights for Longtime Red States

North Carolina, Virginia key to 2012 strategy

Paulson: In '08 Crisis, John McCain Had No Plan

Ex-Treasury sec says Mac risked putting US economy in freefall for 'political gambit'

South the Big Winner in New Census

Northeast, Midwest would lose seats if today's census was used

'Rogue' Palin Was Reading From Script

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

Mac Is Back, Pushing Reforms

GOP stalwart returns to Senate, eye on reining in lobbying and earmarks

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

West Turning Blue, Dems Say

Party boasts strong voter registration, turnout in Mountain states

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • John McCain • New Mexico • Obama 2008 • grassroots • Nevada • Colorado • McCain 2008 • the Hispanic vote • young voters

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Obama Fights for Longtime Red States

North Carolina, Virginia key to 2012 strategy

Paulson: In '08 Crisis, John McCain Had No Plan

Ex-Treasury sec says Mac risked putting US economy in freefall for 'political gambit'

South the Big Winner in New Census

Northeast, Midwest would lose seats if today's census was used

'Rogue' Palin Was Reading From Script

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

Mac Is Back, Pushing Reforms

GOP stalwart returns to Senate, eye on reining in lobbying and earmarks

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?