Battleground Colorado: Clinton, Trump teams ramp up organization, outreach
Patrick Davis is the man tasked with leading the state effort to get Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump a win in Colorado in November. He was tapped as Trump’s Colorado political director.
“Republicans in Colorado have not been part of a winning presidential campaign in Colorado since 2004,” Davis said. “It’s time, we’re hungry for it.”
The Hillary Clinton campaign brought in almost $70 million June. Wednesday, the Trump campaign announced it brought in $51 million last month.
“We’re just going to catch up, we’re going to have to catch up,” Davis said.
The Republican strategist said the Trump campaign will open volunteer offices in this swing state the coming weeks. Clinton already opened six offices across the state, including one in the Springs. It plans to open four more.
Supporters hope Clinton’s organization will propel her to victory, saying her experience is her strength.
“She has experience as as first lady, senator, secretary of state, working with leaders around the world,” Democrat Ryan Macoubrie said. “She is by far the most experienced person to ever run for this office.”
George W. Bush carried this purple state in 2000 and 2004. Changing demographics and a robust ground game and org helped President Obama win Colorado in 2008 and 2012. For the first time in more than 20 years in the Centennial state, there are more registered Democrats than Republicans.
That doesn’t faze Davis, who knows winning over unaffiliated voters is the key.
“It’s going to be one voter at a time,” he said. “Particularly in Colorado, we have a robust ground game, people knocking on doors, registering voters. “We will win this battle with voters of all stripes, of all colors, of all ages.”
Clinton’s Colorado political director, Emmy Ruiz, told KRDO NewsChannel 13 Wednesday: “Our campaign in Colorado isn’t taking anything for granted. Each day we’re working hard in every corner of the state to talk about the clear choice in this election between a candidate who divides people and has run multiple businesses into the ground and a candidate who is committed to bringing people together and building an economy that works for everyone.”
Politico confirmed Gov. John Hickenlooper met with Clinton about the VP job when she campaigned in Denver last week.
