McCain-Palin campaign sets up shop in Teller County

WOODLAND PARK • The Dems had one, and now so does the GOP.

Teller County residents can get their presidential fix without crossing the border.

The McCain-Palin campaign set up shop Sept. 19 in the former Martini Hut on U.S. 24, about a mile down the highway from where Obama-Biden supporters took over the former Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant space a week earlier.

"Our Republicans are jumping up and down. We're just having a ball up here," said Carol Clark of the Teller County Republican Central Committee, which is footing the bill for the office.

"Basically, it's a McCain-Palin-Schaffer headquarters up here, with bumper stickers and signs and whatever else we get."

At the office where the Obama campaign is paying the rent, there aren't banners and buttons to be had - those are still on back order, said volunteer Rick Taylor.

"The focus is on grass-root efforts," he said. "We make phone calls to Teller County residents and use it as a meeting place to canvass local neighborhoods. We had been doing this from people's houses. The number one reason is a location for volunteers to meet to assist with the campaign."

Location has paid off.

"It has been incredible; over 300 people have participated already," Taylor said.

Teller County Republicans have been swarming their new digs as well.

"We've had a big response of people coming in daily," Clark said.

Some come in expecting to order a martini.