Why Obama Hearts Arizona

摘要

The President has his eye on the Grand Canyon State-or at least its II Electoral College votes. He hosted the mayors of Phoenix, Mesa and Tucson in a private meeting on Jan. 18. The White House invited Mark Kelly, Representative Gabby Giffords' husband, to sit with the First Lady for the State of the Union address. Obama made his fifth presidential visit to the state the next day, this time to tour a huge, $5.2 billion Intel factory that is under construction in Chandler. Obama is looking to surprise: he lost the state to John McCain in 2008 by 195,000 votes, and Democrats believe they could win it back in November if they register 150,000 new voters- mostly youth and Hispanics-in the next nine months.