Palin sets Colorado visit the day early voting starts

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has scheduled a campaign swing through Colorado on Monday, according to the Greeley Tribune. That’s the same day early voting begins across the state, and it will be the Republican vice presidential nominee’s third visit to the state since she joined the ticket in September. Details on Palin’s campaign stops were not released Wednesday.

Retiring Sen. Wayne Allard’s chief of staff, Sean Conway, confirmed Palin would appear in northern Colorado — site of the hotly contested 4th Congressional District race between Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave and Democratic challenger Betsy Markey — and also had stops planned in the southern and western parts of the state.

“McCain relishes being an underdog but it basically says ‘our workers have to get out and work harder,’ and I kind of agree with that notion in general,” said Steve Mazurana, a political science professor at the University of Northern Colorado. “When you’re in a close race, sometimes it’s good to either portray yourself as slightly behind — but with the extra effort will win.

“I think Palin’s here to do that among conservative voters in Weld and eastern Colorado.”

This week’s polls show the Obama-Biden ticket leading McCain-Palin by as few as 4 points and as many as 9 points, while an online political report moved Colorado from toss-up status to “strong Obama.”

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