With Romney announcing James Garcia as his Colorado state director today, it's useful to compare Romney's choice to whom Obama appointed to lead his efforts in Colorado. Romney chose his National Field Director, emphasizing the importance of Colorado to the race. Obama chose a longtime environmental lobbyist, Carrie Doyle, despite his attacks on John McCain four years ago for having lobbyists work for his campaign.
Garcia has previously been the Executive Director and Victory Director for the Colorado Republican Party, and combined with Romney's Political Director Rich Beeson, a longtime Colorado operative, they will bring a great deal of Colorado campaign experience to bear in Romney's campaign.
Doyle, on the other hand, is a longtime registered lobbyist for anti-energy efforts. In selecting an anti-drilling lobbyist at the same time Obama was killing 20,000 jobs for the Keystone Pipeline, his campaign was sending the signal that his re-election path will be studded with left wing special interest money and infrastructure.
It should be no surprise then that the Obama Super PAC, Priorities USA, is running ads in Colorado in tandem with the left wing League of Conservation Voters (LCV). Doyle lobbied for the Colorado chapter of LCV, Colorado Conservation Voters.
The two state directors offer interesting contrasts: Latino vs. Lobbyist, Colorado vs. special interests, and senior campaign operative vs. environmental organizer.
We'll take the former for 9 electoral votes, Alex.