Supporters filled Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. to capacity Tuesday evening to hear from both candidates on the Republican presidential ticket, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, as well as country star Rodney Atkins and rock singer Kid Rock. With just two weeks left before the Nov. 6 election, the campaign event emulated the mounting intensity in swing state Colorado.
Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at Red Rocks Tuesday night as Rep. Paul Ryan, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and country artist Rodney Atkins look on. (For the CU Independent/Maggie Corcoran)
Hot off the campaign trail in Henderson, Nev., where the duo rallied Tuesday morning, Romney and Ryan arrived on stage at roughly 8 p.m. to a crowd of just under 10,000 balloon-banging supporters. Thousands of ticket-holders were turned away when the venue reached capacity. The event at Red Rocks was free, like all of the candidates’ public rallies.
Those in attendance included families, seniors and students who traveled to Morrison from across the state. After opening acts from Rodney Atkins and Kid Rock, Ryan introduced Romney, who spoke to a vociferous crowd on all campaign topics ranging from the last presidential debate to his time spent as a Boy Scout.
CSU freshmen Morgan Reuter, 18, and Lexi Schroeder, 19, attended the event together.
“I decided to come, because I’ve been kind of iffy, and I really wanted to hear what Romney had to say,” Reuter said. “Honestly, he convinced me to vote for him.”
A fully packed Red Rocks cheers for the Republican ticket, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who took the stage after Rodney Atkins and Kid Rock performed. (For the CU Independent/Maggie Corcoran)
The topic of family economics was the most appealing and influential component of Romney’s speech to the previously undecided voter.
“My mom is a single parent, and she has been out of a job ever since Obama got into office, so it really spoke to me that Romney talked about single moms,” she said.
Schroeder, on the other hand, has been a Republican all her life and is no stranger to political events in Colorado. Her excitement had been bubbling since she found out about the event, she said, especially because it is her first time voting for president.
“I think it’s a great experience, and I loved what he had to say,” Schroeder said. “I’m in full support of Romney. I can’t wait to vote for him.”
Ryan spoke to young attendees near the beginning of his introduction of Romney, saying that voters of all age groups in Colorado will help decide the outcome of the toss-up state.
“It doesn’t matter what generation you come from, this is the most important election in your generation,” Ryan said.
Romney focused energy on asserting the failing campaign and strategy of his incumbent opponent.
“Look at the Obama campaign, it’s reduced to talking about smaller and smaller things,” Romney said. “They’re talking about saving characters on Sesame Street.”
Kid Rock performs before Rep. Paul Ryan and Gov. Mitt Romney take the stage at Red Rocks Tuesday night. (For the CU Independent/Maggie Corcoran)
“What you’re seeing from the Obama campaign is an incredibly shrinking campaign,” he said. “The president is out of ideas, he’s out of excuses and in November, you’re going to make sure he’s out of office.”
The Republican candidate continued to discredit Barack Obama’s reelection campaign throughout the evening, mainly stating that the president has not produced a substantial plan to continue economic recovery.
“Day in and day out, there is one attack after the other, and attacks on us — that does not make an agenda for the future,” Romney said.
Romney and Ryan exited Red Rocks at about 8:45 p.m. but not before taking in cheers echoing from between the sky-scraping rocks of the theater. Romney heads to a rally in Reno, Nev. on Wednesday, the day Obama is set to appear in Denver.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Alison Noon at Alison.noon@colorado.edu.
