Obama wins fundraising race in Springs

Even in an area dominated by Republicans, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has raised tens of thousands of dollars more than Sen. John McCain, a Gazette analysis of campaign finance records found.
Obama's money advantage in the Colorado Springs area is insignificant in the context of a record-breaking season for campaign spending, but any edge for a Democratic Party presidential candidate is a dramatic shift from historical trends.
Four years ago, President Bush's contributions from the Colorado Springs area were three times that of his rival, Sen. John Kerry. An edge for Obama is also the last thing many observers would expect from an area where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1.
As of the end of August, Obama brought in $265,920 in donations from the city and surrounding areas, compared to McCain's $202,626.
"Clearly, these numbers show Obama's message of change is resonating with voters, including in areas that are traditionally Republican strongholds," Obama spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth said in an e-mail. "But it also speaks to the historic ability of our campaign to bring so many new people into the electoral process."
How Obama's campaign managed to turn a heavily Republican area into a source of campaign cash wasn't clear - whether it was one-on-one appeals, mass mailings, phone calls or something else. Wyeth didn't respond to a follow-up question seeking detail on the campaign's fund-raising strategy.
Obama's advantage is perhaps even more surprising in neighborhoods of Colorado Springs where concentrations of Republicans are especially high. In the 80906 ZIP code, for example, Republicans make up 46 percent of registered voters and Democrats 22 percent, according to a tabulation completed in February. But Obama's contributions from that area exceeded McCain's by nearly $9,000. The area includes the wealthy Broadmoor and Skyway neighborhoods, and lower-income subdivisions near Interstate 25 and Lake Avenue.
Jim Hayes is a resident of 80906 and a volunteer in the Republicans for Obama campaign, a group he said is only loosely affiliated with the Obama campaign. A member of the GOP from the time he registered to vote, Hayes said he found Obama's priority on boosting the middle class a compelling reason to vote for a Democrat.
"It's essential for a leader to be able to inspire his or her constituency, the citizenry, about the future of this country," Hayes said.
The party registration split is narrower in 80904, which covers the west-side neighborhood of Colorado Springs including Garden of the Gods, Pleasant Valley and Kissing Camels. There, Republicans make up 39 percent of voters and Democrats 26 percent. Despite his disadvantage there in terms of party registration, Obama raised $28,910 in 80904 to McCain's $19,952.
Bill Hampton, who lives in 80904, said one reason he gave $1,101 to the McCain campaign was to counterbalance Democratic fund raising.
"I highly value the idea of a president who will work with both parties constructively. I think polarization is the curse of the country," Hampton said.
Hampton, who described himself as "an in-betweener between the Democrats and the Republicans," lives in the Village at Skyline, a retirement community off Lower Gold Camp Road.
"The Democrats have rounded up an awful lot of money," he said. "I don't like the idea of the presidency being bought. I probably stretched more for this campaign, financially than I ever have before in my life."
The Gazette analyzed 825 contributions to the presidential nominees' campaigns from 30 ZIP codes that make up the Colorado Springs urban area, plus Palmer Lake, Monument, Manitou Springs and Fountain. The data were supplied by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog group that follows money in campaigns. Itemized data is available only for contributions of $200 or more.
The analysis included contributions from the beginning of the campaign cycle through Aug. 31. That leaves out September, when Obama received a record-breaking $150 million from donors nationwide, according to news reports. But the period takes in all the time during which McCain accepted private contributions. McCain quit taking private donations Sept. 1 as part of his participation in the public funding system for presidential campaigns. Obama initially said he would participate in the public funding system but changed his mind in June.
The national fund-raising totals for the two candidates stand at $603 million for Obama and $358 million for McCain, the Center for Responsive Politics reported.
Nathan Fisk, executive director of the El Paso County Republican Party, said candidates' fund-raising totals are misleading because they don't include money given to the national party.
"If you look at the total number, with the RNC and with McCain, I'll bet you $100 that McCain had quite a bit more," he said.
Indeed, donors from the Colorado Springs area gave $108,870 to the Republican National Committee and only $24,383 to the Democratic National Committee. But that money is used to support the parties' congressional and Senate races throughout the country, in addition to the presidential race.
Despite his money lead in the Colorado Springs area, an Obama win among voters on Election Day would be a seismic shift. The Republican candidate for president has carried El Paso County since 1964, when Democrat Lyndon Johnson beat Republican Barry Goldwater. In 2004, Bush defeated Kerry in El Paso County by 35 percentage points.
Democrats haven't yet given up hope. Obama volunteer Mike Maday, a Colorado Springs resident who's been working for the Democratic candidate since July 2007, said he's seen many unaffiliated voters and Republicans indicating support for Obama.
"I'm just constantly surprised by the support he has, so it wouldn't surprise me if he won El Paso County," Maday said. "Well, it would surprise me, but it wouldn't shock me."

-- Reporter Dean Toda contributed to this report.