UTAH: Salt Lake Tribune: If signs count, Obama wins race

[helderheid]

GOP has given 3,000 signs; Dems 7,500, but 'lawns signs don't vote'

By Sheena McFarland
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2008 01:49:57 AM MDT

In one of the nation's reddest states, Obama blue graces the most lawns.

Yes, sales of campaign signs for Democrat Barack Obama are outpacing those for Republican John McCain by more than 2-to-1 in Utah.

Even so, political observers of every shade fully expect the Beehive State to show its true colors come Election Day and tilt decidedly scarlet.

"Lawn signs don't vote," concedes Todd Taylor, executive director of the Utah Democratic Party. "But, that said, it certainly signals some enthusiasm for our candidate."

The McCain camp has handed out about 3,000 signs (for a $3 donation per sign) since the Republican convention while the Obama side has distributed about 7,500 (for a $10 donation).

Todd Weiler, vice chairman of the Utah Republican Party, shrugs off the gap as evidence that the state's rock-red voters took a while to grieve for Mitt Romney.

"Obviously we have this Romney phenomenon where people A) are disappointed he didn't get the nomination and B) didn't get the vice presidential nomination," Weiler says. "Interest in McCain lagged, but since the convention, there's been a lot of enthusiasm."

Tim Bridgewater, McCain's Western volunteer coordinator, agrees Romney remorse played a factor, but notes the same number of Utah volunteers who signed up to visit battleground states for President Bush in 2004 did so again this year for McCain.

He points to McCain's running mate for much of the Republican rebound. "Sarah Palin has ignited a lot of passion among our grass-roots supporters," Bridgewater says. "Women are calling in who have never been involved in politics."

This could be a tough year for the GOP nationally, says Kelly Patterson, director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. He points to the economy, the Iraq war and Bush's low approval ratings.

"Enthusiasm has not been part of the Republican dynamic lately," Patterson says. "Voters are much less likely to display a brand when there seems to be not as much enthusiasm for that brand."

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[ColbertWatcher]

1. Sadly, in "Your business is my business Utah" ...

... the GOP are probably too ashamed to put signs out, but more than cowardly happy to choose GOP in the voting booth.

[RoadRage]

2. And not reported... Romney signs still appear on 12,000 lawns..

eclipsing both campaigns.

Sadly, even if Yard Signs COULD vote - they couldn't vote for Romney. :evilgrin:

[helderheid]

3. Was that from the article? I see the occasional Ron Paul sign but no more Romney ones.

[RoadRage]

4. I was joking...

[helderheid]

5. eeeek. Sorry.

:blush:

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. I think these Romney loving Mormons could be the wildcard though.

Now I'm not saying they'll vote for Obama. But they might not vote for McCain either. And if they split up their votes among Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin, and all the other minor right wing candidates, perhaps the Salt Lake City vote ends up being the biggest block of votes in the state. And SLC itself could go for Obama.

Utah's not exactly a huge electoral prize, and it's a long shot in either case. But just the psychological impact on the Republicans if they couldn't win UTAH! :rofl:

[helderheid]

8. WOULD. LOVE. IT.

[helderheid]

6. Favorite: The McCain camp has handed out about 3,000 signs (for a $3 donation per sign)...

The McCain camp has handed out about 3,000 signs (for a $3 donation per sign) since the Republican convention while the Obama side has distributed about 7,500 (for a $10 donation).

[helderheid]

9. kicking now that the SLtrib just endorsed... OBAMA!