Paul Ryan visits Pueblo West Monday

Paul Ryan is in Colorado stumping for Mitt Romney on a critical day highlighted by the last presidential debate and the start of early voting.

The Republican vice presidential candidate stopped in Pueblo Monday morning, where he visited a heating and air conditioning installation company that’s had to lay off workers this year. He said the country is built on such small businesses but said the Obama administration has saddled them with a heavy tax burden.

He also said the country is on the path to a debt crisis like the one developing in Europe and pledged to keep the military strong if he and Romney are elected.

Ryan also plans to campaign in Durango on Monday and then watch the last presidential debate from Grand Junction.