Colorado 'Still In Play,' State Campaign Director Says Trump Will Visit Often
CLEVELAND (CBS4) - Presidential nominee Donald Trump has made many appearances in Ohio so far at the Republic National Convention, but the same can't be said about Colorado.
In his one and only campaign appearance in the Centennial state this year, Trump blasted Colorado's delegate selection process.
At a Colorado delegation breakfast in Cleveland on Wednesday, delegate Dan Green told CBS4 there's still some bad blood between some Colorado Republicans like him and Trump.
"If he showed up here at a breakfast and took some questions and answers and acknowledged our election as legitimate, we might be willing to start talking to him," he told CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd.
So far Trump has shown little interest in Colorado, but his campaign's state director Patrick Davis said that will change.
"We are a targeted state," Davis said. "You will be seeing Donald Trump, his family, his surrogates in Colorado a lot between now and Nov. 8. I haven't seen a map that doesn't include Colorado to get to the 270 electoral votes."
Colorado Republican Party Chairman Steve House told CBS4 the group of rebellious Colorado delegates who have been disruptive during the convention don't represent most Republicans.
"I'm not going to worry about what 10 people think in a room after we leave here. What I'm going to worry about is what those 1.4 million people think at home," he said.
It's not just the Republican base Trump needs to win over in Colorado. CBS4 analyst Dick Wadhams said he needs to make up for low support among traditional swing voters like women and Hispanics.
"We've seen in other states he does have a special appeal among older Democrats. And if he can do that in Colorado -- if he can get some voters that Colorado Republicans traditionally haven't been able to get -- he can make up that difference. So Colorado is still in play," Wadhams said.
Trump picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for his running mate in part to help him with Republicans like those Colorado Republicans causing a commotion in Cleveland. Pence will have to be careful not to alienate the independents while trying to reassure the right wing.
