Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will visit the Las Cruces area on Monday.
The only other detail released by the campaign at this point is that Obama will host a public event. Sources said the focus of the Memorial Day visit will be veterans.
There was no immediate word on whether Gov. Bill Richardson, Obama’s most visible supporter in New Mexico, will be with the Illinois senator on the trip to Southern New Mexico.
Obama is one of four high-profile political figures who will visit New Mexico next week. On Monday, Republican presidential nominee John McCain will be in Albuquerque, while on Tuesday, Obama’s wife Michelle will host a fundraiser in Albuquerque for her husband’s campaign and President Bush will be in Albuquerque for a fundraiser for the state Republican Party and 1st Congressional District candidate Darren White.
The visits around the Memorial Day holiday underscore New Mexico’s importance in the 2008 election.
Obama lost New Mexico to Hillary Clinton in the Feb. 5 Democratic primary largely because she did well in southern New Mexico. Obama has already visited Santa Fe and Albuquerque, so it makes sense for him to visit the southern part of the state on the same day McCain makes his first visit to Albuquerque as a 2008 presidential candidate. Obama’s wife visited Las Cruces in February.
McCain is expected to compete in the swing state of New Mexico because of his crossover appeal among independents and some Democrats and because he’s a senator from the neighboring state of Arizona.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will visit the