The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama is expanding its presence in Steamboat Springs by opening an office to support the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Lynn Abbott, of the Routt County Democratic Party, said the Hilltop Parkway office will be the first presidential campaign office in Steamboat Springs, to her knowledge — and that bodes well for Steamboat, she said.

“It indicates that the Obama campaign thinks Steamboat Springs is somewhere they want to invest money,” she said.

The office will hold an opening party at 5 p.m. Sunday in the Fox Creek Park Office Building, 1169 Hilltop Parkway, Suite 201. The event is free and open to the public.

The campaign for the presumptive Republican candidate, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, has no plans to expand to Steamboat at this time, according to campaign organizers in Denver. The nearest McCain office is in Grand Junction. There also are offices in Colorado Springs and Longmont.

Dylan Roberts, who will be running the local Obama campaign office, said several local politicians will be speaking at Sunday’s event, and attendees are invited to bring food and drinks.

Although Routt County does not have any delegates to send to the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 25 to 28 in Denver, the local party distributed 10 tickets through a weighted raffle. Those tickets will allow local volunteers to hear Obama accept his party’s nomination Aug. 28 at Invesco Field.

The winners of the contest were Lu Etta Loeder, Catherine Carson, Sue Carter, Babette Dickson, Mark Fischer, Linda Lewis, Steve Lewis, Tina Segler, Todd Hagenbuch and Andrea Hayden.

Fischer said he was looking forward to the significant event.

“Just to be present at what I believe will be a historic event: a person of black heritage being nominated for president of the United States,” he said. “I’m also looking to see if the Democratic Party really is looking to make some difference in Washington and the world or if they’re just interested in getting control and power.”

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper have been selected to speak at the convention.

“Governor Ritter and Mayor Hickenlooper are examples of the kind of leadership Democrats bring to the West and to our nation,” said Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, as he announced the speakers.

“We are grateful to them for their partnership throughout the convention planning process, and we are proud to feature them both in the program we will put forth from Denver.”