Obama makes bid in seven longtime Republican states

The situation is similar in two other fast-growing Southern states.

North Carolina has seen an influx of Northern retirees settling along the coast and in the mountains, while upper-class and academic transplants flock to the booming economies of the high-tech Research Triangle and the Charlotte banking hub.

“You’re definitely getting a new mix,” said Bill Peaslee, a former state GOP chief of staff. It’s not how it was 20 years ago or even 10 years ago.”

Voter registrations are up, blacks are signing up in record numbers and a Democrat leads the state.

Recognizing a potential problem, McCain is sending a full paid staff to North Carolina, though running no ads for now.

Georgia saw GOP gains in recent decades as conservatives moved in. It now has a Republican governor and legislature, and a strong state party organization.

Even so, Democrats see an opening among blacks, who make up 30 percent of Georgia’s population. Even Republicans predict the first black major party nominee will produce the largest black turnout ever.

Obama is also optimistic because Libertarian Party candidate and former Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Barr is from Georgia and could draw off conservative votes there.

In Indiana, Obama could benefit from his ties to the populous, heavily black northwest corner within Chicago’s media market. He’s also counting on backers in liberal-leaning university towns like South Bend and Bloomington. Choosing Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, a popular two-term governor, as his running mate would give Obama a boost.

Since 1936, Democrats have won Indiana once in presidential elections, in 1964. Still, they have had some success on the state level and ousted three GOP incumbent congressmen in 2006. Working-class Indiana whites pose hurdles for Obama as they did in his narrow primary loss to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Along the U.S.-Canada border, Democratic statewide victories have emboldened Obama to make plays for Montana and North Dakota. Republicans argue Democrats who win in those states are moderate and Obama is not. Obama’s campaign also is counting on residual goodwill from his primary wins in both.

Democrats claim the electorate has become more moderate as new people settled in mountainous western Montana. Republicans argue the GOP foundation is strong and note that Montana has sent a Republican to the House since 1994.

North Dakota has a GOP governor but has had an all-Democratic congressional delegation for more than two decades. Still, no Democratic presidential candidate has won the state in more than 30 years.

Obama has opened offices in North Dakota’s four largest cities and has visited twice since wrapping up the nomination.

“Barack Obama coming up here and competing here is going to force John McCain to make a choice,” said Jamie Selzler, the state party director.

Even further north in far-flung Alaska, it’s been three decades since a Democratic nominee won the state.

Republicans dominate the levers of power but corruption has rocked the party, including the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens last week.

All that emboldens Obama. So does the fact that Alaska has the nation’s third-youngest population. Voter registrations among Democrats are outpacing Republicans.

Said state Sen. Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat: “There is a real sense of energy coming off that campaign that is completely lacking from the other side.”

Associated Press writers Greg Bluestein in Atlanta, Mike Baker in Raleigh, N.C., Mike Smith in Indianapolis, Matt Gouras in Helena, Mont., Dale Wetzel in Bismarck, N.D., and Steve Quinn in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.

(Associated Press)

(p1)