13 October 2008 - 11H33
New Mexico, for a fistul of voters
New Mexico voted for the Democrats in 2000, then for the Republicans four years later. This year, with the contest so close, the two rival camps are keeping each other well within sight in the "State of Enchantment”.
Think New Mexico and you conjure up cowboys, Indians, vast open desert and mountains. And the state is gearing up for a classic Republican Democrat showdown in the mould of a Wild West movie. Obama has the edge, but no one's counting their chickens yet.
Republicans and Democrats live side by side outside Albuquerque, in the Rio Rancho neighborhood.
The place is Republican, but Barack Obama has opened offices on the opposition's territory to try to swing well-heeled suburbs like these. The Republicans opened their office weeks after their opponents. Relations are cordial between the organizers, but not always at the grass roots.
Democrats have their work cut out. They’re flooding the area with volunteer canvassers.
Unemployed driver Chris Ksanznak put his job search on hold to help out.
Chris does sometimes receive rather cold welcomes, but he’s not discouraged by the hostility. “Even if they offered to pay me, I would turn them down, because its been a learning experience and I don’t look at it as a job.”
The party aims to turn out 5,000 voters in Rio Rancho - ever-mindful that George Bush won New Mexico by just 6,000 votes in 2004.
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