Sep 23, 2008 3:19 pm US/Mountain
Poll: Obama Increases Edge Over McCain In Colorado
By Steven K. Paulson, AP Writer
DENVER (AP) ―
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama smiles as he arrives on stage for a primary night rally at North Carolina State University May 6, 2008 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
The decision by Democrats to hold their national convention in Denver seems to be paying off for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, but don't try to sell that to the Obama campaign.
Campaign officials credit Obama's jump in a new poll in Colorado to issues that cross party lines, geographic lines and demographic lines, persuading the campaign to open 32 offices across the state.
The campaign even has an office in the tiny town of Alma north of Fairplay, population 175.
The No. 1 issue is the economy, according to 51 percent of likely voters who participated in a poll by Quinnipiac University released Tuesday.
According to the poll, Obama has taken a slight lead over GOP candidate John McCain in Colorado after being one point behind last month, with Obama now leading 49 percent to 45 percent among likely voters. The poll surveyed 1,418 likely voters from Sept. 14 through Sept. 21. It has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points.
In a poll by the same organization taken before the conventions, McCain led in Colorado, 47 percent to 46 percent.
"This campaign crosses geographic lines, it crosses party lines and every spectrum. This campaign crosses demographic lines. College kids realize they're going to have to pay back their loans. People across the state realize the economy is in the worst shape it's been in for generations," said Matt Chandler, spokesman for Obama's Colorado campaign.
Because of the latest economic shocks, Obama's campaign is keeping track of some demographics. The campaign says 2.3 million Coloradans are middle class and would benefit from tax breaks proposed by Democrats, including 55,000 who would pay no taxes under their plan. Chandler says tax cuts proposed by McCain would leave out 72 percent of Colorado taxpayers.
Pollsters credited the Democratic convention held in August for much of the turnaround.
"Two years ago when the Democrats picked Denver for their convention, one of the main reasons was the hope it would help them win Colorado, which is shaping up as a key state in the Electoral College. Sen. Obama has come from behind to take the lead there and it is a reasonable assumption that the convention has something to do with this," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute in Hamden, Conn.
Tom Kise, spokesman for McCain's Colorado campaign, said most polls show the race is close in Colorado and he expects it to remain that way through Election Day. He expects the McCain campaign to get a boost when running mate Sarah Palin holds a fundraiser in Denver next week.
Kise said Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, lost a lot of supporters in the West when he criticized the use of coal. He also said Obama's comments about Palin's moose hunting and belitting her rural roots will cost him votes.
"I don't think that plays well in the West," Kise said.
Republican political consultant Katy Atkinson said she believes the convention did have an impact on Colorado voters and gave Obama a boost. She said voters in the West were impressed that Obama came here and told them what he stands for and what he would do if elected. She said the economic impact had a lesser effect because the impact hasn't had time to sink in.
"I think the Democratic convention has in fact influenced Colorado voters," she said.
According to the poll, President Bush only has a 24 percent approval rating in Colorado. The poll suggests Obama is leading 55 percent to 40 percent among Colorado women likely to vote, while voters over 55 slightly favor McCain. White voters back McCain 51-44, while Hispanic voters are supporting Obama 68 percent to 26 percent.
Those polled also liked the choices of Palin and Biden as running mates for the two candidates.
In the U.S. Senate race, one of the most closely watched in the country, Democratic Rep. Mark Udall leads Republican Bob Schaffer 48 percent to 40 percent, compared to a 44 percent tie in July.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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