This is another report from the battleground state of Colorado with a view from the Red Zone front lines inside Colorado Springs. In the past the Republicans could count on a margin 70-30 which would balance the Democratic votes in Denver and Boulder counties. In 2004 Kerry got 32%, while Senator Salazar won a narrow victory getting almost 34% in El Paso County which was the margin of his win. In 2006 Governor Ritter expanded the Salazar plan and received 39.7% in the Red Zone and won easily 55-44% over former Congressman Beaupreu.  Under the national radar my firend Lt Col Jay Fawcett also received 39% against Lamborn and even pushed the number in Colorado Springs into low 40's.

Now as the final weekend approaches the voter registration numbers are being released and the Democrats have amazingly registered more voters than the Republicans or Independents with an increase right now at 17% (compared to 9% for Unaffiliated's and 6% for Republicans). All told like the rest of the state El Paso County has seen an increase of 9% new voter registrations.That said the Democrats have added almost 13,200 new voters while the Republicans are at 9600 and the Independents just over 10,600.

Compare this to the early September report that Colorado has added over 118,600 new voters with 74,600 were Democrats and you can see why change is in the air. Bottom line in the Obama strategy is for El Paso County to deliver 38% vote to the state and the math should work out for a strong victory statewide. What is heartening in that Colorado Independent report is that new voters are 2-to-1 inclined to vote for Obama, that includes Unaffiliated's. If this translates to El Paso County it would mean the 32,000 new voters could result in 20,000 votes for Obama where Salazar recorded 81,000 votes (a record for a Democrat in the county) and with the expected turnout equote to over 40%.

With the ground game extremely active and known to be the best organized volunteer group in Colorado the belief is that the bar can be moved at least 5% from Ritter & Fawcett levels. This would turn Colorado from a leaning or battleground state to a flat in the bank state for Obama.

My numbers to review:  Voter Reg in El Paso County

....................Rep's.......... Dem's ...........Unaffiliated
1/25/08...... 153,532 ......68,689 ..........108,406
6/30/08 ......155,558...... 72,590...........112,630
7/31/08...... 157,047....... 74,774..........113,699
9/02/08...... 157,998....... 75,241..........112,665
10/02/08.... 163,203........ 81,881..........119,085
% ..................44.6%..........22.2%...........32.5%
Ttl Voters 365, 899............ (9% increase)

Or you can translate the following:

....................Rep's.............. Dem's.......... Unaffilied's
06/30/08... + 2026........... + 3901............. + 4224
7/30/08..... + 1489............ + 2184............. + 1069
09/02/08.... + 957............... + 469............. (- 1034)
10/02.08.... + 5205............ + 6640.............+ 6420


Total.......... + 9677............ + 13194............. + 10679

% increase.. + 6%................. + 17%................. + 9%