GOP candidate in Colorado Springs

The race for the Republican presidential nomination was the focus in Colorado Springs Thursday night.

Dr. Ben Carson, who is inching higher in recent GOP polls, stopped at America the Beautiful Park for a rally.

The campaign said close to 1,500 people attended the rally, where Carson focused on his vision to improve America.

He’s made headlines most recently for comments he made about the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and addressed those in a press conference before his rally.

“A lot of veterans, when they go from the Department of Defense to Department of Veterans Affairs, they fall through the cracks,” he said. “This is what I’ve been told by veterans. We need a system that is smooth.”

He declined to offer more specifics, but stated earlier this week that the department should be folded into the Department of Defense, an idea opposed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

While that group is against his proposal, many in Colorado Springs are not.

“I think Ben’s message is one that’s trying to unite the nation, be one nation and not be divided,” said supporter Ken Clark.

“Other candidates come across as too harsh, too aggressive. He’s one I can relate to,” said supporter Anthony Cristo.

Carson’s visit comes just days after the Colorado Republican Party scrapped next year’s straw poll.

The National Republican Party passed a rule which requires state delegates comply with preference poll results at the National Conventions next year.

Colorado GOP leaders state it would lead to too many empty votes.

“The delegates from Colorado aren’t going to be pledged to any candidate,” said Josh Dunn, a political science professor at University of Colorado -Colorado Springs. “So it really removes Colorado from the process of nominating the Republican candidate.”

When Carson was asked why he came to Colorado, he said it’s because he’s a different type of candidate.

“I’m not a politician, so I don’t do what politicians do,” he said. “I come and talk to people all over.”