Obama to campaign in Española on Thursday

Barack Obama will visit Española on Thursday as he attempts to reach Hispanics in Hillary Clinton-friendly northern New Mexico.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for a rally at Plaza de Española, 706 Bond Street, according to Obama’s Web site. The rally will begin at 12:30 p.m. It’s open to the public, but a ticket is required and space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to get a ticket online or here to find the locations of offices where you can pick up a ticket.

Parking on site is limited, and bags, signs and banners will not be allowed into the event.

Clinton easily defeated Obama in Rio Arriba County, where Española is located, in the state’s Feb. 5 caucus. Clinton visited Española in August to ask voters to support Obama.

Obama’s Thursday visit was announced today by Gov. Bill Richardson during the unveiling in Santa Fe of Obama’s state Hispanics group and the opening of his 35th campaign office in New Mexico. Richardson, according to The Associated Press, said Obama has strong support among Hispanics.

“All this talk that there’s problems in the Hispanic community, there isn’t,” the news service quoted Richardson as saying.

Thursday’s visit will be Obama’s fifth to New Mexico during the 2008 election season.