Colorado May Determine 2012 Presidential Election

September 25, 2012

This year's presidential election may be decided in a handful of so-called "swing states," where President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney are running neck and neck in public opinion polls. The western state of Colorado has only nine electoral votes, which will all go to the candidate who wins a majority of the state's popular votes in November. And Colorado is one of the few states that could go either way, so it is being hotly contested.

Thousands of Obama supporters were on the streets of the Denver suburb of Golden, Colorado recently, when the president came to visit. Obama won here four years ago and many of his supporters remain enthusiastic.

Those who identify with a party here are evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. So, independent voters like Sherry Toms are the key to victory. And she still likes the president.

"To switch everything and do a 360 with the Republican Party might not be the best thing right now," said Toms.

The Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, was not here this day, but his son, Josh Romney, met with supporters not far from the Obama event.

While young voters helped elect Obama in 2008, some, like Alex Insco, now favor Romney.

"I haven't seen any change. I was hoping for change, but I still haven't gotten it yet," said Insco.

Around 80 percent of Colorado's population is now located in cities and suburbs. In a state once characterized by sparsely-populated areas such as the Rocky Mountains, demographic change turned Colorado from reliably Republican to a so-called "battleground."