Obama campaign targeting farmers and rural citizens... 'Rural Americans for Obama' is a targeted voting bloc for President Obama's re-election campaign, and as early voting begins today in the battleground state of Iowa, the group is in the spotlight. The Obama campaign took to Twitter to encourage voters to hit the polls--and supporters to make sure that their fellow voters do the same. The graphic, above, was posted on the Twitter account for Obama for America Illinois; the campaign is urging supporters to road trip to nearby states to get out the vote. The state has six Electoral College votes, and President Obama took it by 54% in 2008.
First Lady Michelle Obama will woo Iowa supporters on Friday during a rally in Cedar Falls.
As voting begins, the President is ahead of GOP rival Mitt Romney in polling. Mr. Obama has made repeat visits to Iowa, including a three-day bus tour across the state in August that included a visit to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have also made multiple visits, as has former two-term governor Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture.
President Obama has spent $20 million in ads in the state, including many that characterize Romney and his positions as those of a wealthy, detached former business executive. Obama allies also have spent roughly $3 million in advertising, reports AP.
"I'm early voting because it's a way to demonstrate support for President Obama and a way of saying thank you for saving the country four years ago! It's not too early to start voting for a second term!" Gaul says on the blog.
The nine battleground states where President Obama and Romney are spending most of their time time and money--Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Colorado, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin--have 44.1 million people eligible to vote. That’s 20.7 percent of the nation’s 212.6 million eligible voters, who are largely being ignored by the two candidates in favor of swing state voters.
*Photos by Obama for America
