The day after a strong final debate performance, Democrats are building upon the historic grassroots organization we built in Iowa in 2008, including our 67 Obama for America offices and hundreds of well-trained, experienced volunteer-led neighborhood teams in every corner of the state. As a result of that strong foundation and enthusiasm for President Obama, today we are ahead of where we were at this time against John McCain - and ahead of Mitt Romney. Unprecedented early voting numbers show enthusiasm for the President and the strength of OFA's organization, while Republicans were caught completely unprepared for early voting.

Iowa Democrats Maintain a Significant Lead in Early Voting

·         Topline: Democrats have a huge lead in early voting, and that lead is growing every day.  Ten days ago, for example, Democrats led by D +52,681 in total ballots cast, and today that advantage has increased to D +54,968.

·         Winning Across the Board: Democrats lead on every early vote metric - Vote by Mail requests, mail ballots returned, in-person ballots cast and total ballots cast

·         Winning by More than 2008: In 2008, Barack Obama won Iowa by 9.5 percentage points.  At this time in 2008, we led by D +57,004 in mail ballot requests, D +29,513 in mail ballots returned and 44,686 in total ballots cast.  Our early vote advantage this year is bigger than it was at the same time in 2008.

·         Snapshot: In-Person Early Vote

o   Democrats are leading Republicans 36,668 to 29,382 in in-person early vote.

o   Students are voting early in record numbers, including 477 students voting at Cornell following the President's speech on October 17^th - 1/3 of the student body.

·         Registration: One of the untold stories of the ground game in Iowa is OFA's historic voter registration effort this year.  Democrats lead Republicans in registered voters by D +17,486 (D 689,794 vs. R 672,308).  In the last three months alone, 16,257 registered Democrats were added to the rolls compared with just 2,428 Republicans.  As a result, the Democratic registration advantage increased from D +3,657 in August to D +17,486 today.  The Democratic advantage continues to grow every single day as new voters register, and will continue growing right up through Election Day. Since August, Democrats have added 22,406 active voters to the rolls and Republicans have added just 5,924.

Why OFA's Ground Game Matters

·         OFA Iowa has 67 offices across the state, with hundreds of trained team leaders, leading thousands of volunteers.  OFA has volunteers in all 99 counties.

·         Democrats are winning the battle for early non-midterm voters.  Democrats lead Republicans among non-midterm voters in mail ballots requested, total ballots cast, mail ballots cast and in-person ballots cast.

Among Non-Midterm Voters Only

The Romney Campaign is Struggling in Iowa

·         "I see the early vote numbers, and I grimace a little bit. ... It feels like an Obama state." - former Iowa Republican Party political director Craig Robinson. [National Journal, 9/21/12]

·         Recent GOP early vote numbers do not show momentum, they simply show that the Romney campaign did a mass, "1-million person" mailing, according to GOP Romney operative Matt Strawn.

·         Early Republicans tried to push early voting as Rep. Paul Ryan reminded Iowans during an event in September.  Iowa Republican operative Matt Strawn told a reporter in September, "Anybody that tells one of our volunteers that they're supporting Mitt Romney, you bet we want that vote cast as soon as possible."  Yet as numbers started to show a large gap between Democrats and Republicans the change their message as Megan Stiles- Communications Director for the Republican Party of Iowa said on October 1^st, "Republicans tend to actually prefer to go to the polls and pull the lever so to speak on Election Day."

DES MOINES-- In a close election, Obama for America - Iowa continues to rely on its grassroots operation to carry the President across the finish line. That's why supporters across the state will gather again tonight to watch President Obama lay out the clear choice in this election at the last presidential debate of the campaign. In continuing to use the debates as an opportunity to bring supporters together, Obama for America - Iowa is hosting 67 watch parties in neighborhoods across the state. OFA's supporters are continuing to use the debates to engage their family and friends on the choice in this election between two visions for our country: one that moves us forward with an economy built from the middle-out or one that moves us backwards with an economy that writes off our middle-class and returns to the same failed top-down economics of the last decade.  Iowa's early vote started on September 27^th and ends November 5^th.

To attend a watch party in Iowa, please review the information below:

Monday, October 22, 2012

8:00PM CST

Des Moines Debate Watch Party

WHERE: Cooney's Tavern

3708 Beaver Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50310

Cedar Rapids Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Cedar Rapids Office

2857 Mt. Vernon Rd SE.

Cedar Rapids, IA

Iowa City Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Iowa City Office

321 Market St, Suite 106

Iowa City, IA

Sioux City Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Sioux City Office

4106 Morningside Ave

Sioux City, IA

Council Bluffs Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Council Bluffs Office

1851 Madison Ave, Suite 200

Council Bluffs, IA

Waterloo Debate Watch Party

WHERE: 220 East (Art Gallery)

220 E. 4th St.

Waterloo, IA

Mason City Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Mason City Office

219 North Federal

Mason City, IA

Ames Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Ames Office

413 Northwestern Ave #103

Ames, IA

Burlington Debate Watch Party

WHERE: OFA-IA Burlington Office

900 Osborn St

Burlington, IA

Davenport Debate Watch Party and Sign Making Party

WHEN: 7:00 PM

WHERE: OFA-IA Davenport Office

1706 Brady Street, Suite 205

Davenport, IA

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DES MOINES - On Monday, OFA-IA and Massachusetts elected officials will launch the "Wrong for Massachusetts, Wrong for Iowa" tour to discuss Mitt Romney's failed policies, record, and lack of bipartisan collaboration as Governor of Massachusetts. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, State Senator Marc Pacheco, Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan and North Adams Mayor John Barrett will criss cross the state sharing firsthand experiences of Mitt Romney's failed record as Governor of Massachusetts.

Mitt Romney's policies as Governor were wrong for Massachusetts and they would have been devastating for Iowa. During Romney's term as Governor, the state fell from 36^th to a dismal 47^th out of 50 in job creation, while the U.S. economy continued to grow. By the end of Romney's term as Governor, the state lost 40,000 manufacturing jobs, twice the national average and the third worst record in the country.  Additionally, Romney raised taxes and fees on the middle class and businesses in Massachusetts while pushing through a tax cut that overwhelmingly benefited 278 wealthy citizens.  Under Romney, the debt burden per person grew to the highest in the nation. Romney cannot escape the simple fact that under his leadership, Massachusetts's economic performance was one of the worst in the country in all key economic measurements- including  job creation.

Mitt Romney has consistently misled voters on the campaign trail by touting his ability to work in a bipartisan fashion. Romney's record presents a stark contrast to his claims. Romney's office was rarely open to state legislators and Mayors. His style was reportedly marked by "disinterest in bipartisan collaboration" and "disengaged". As Governor, Romney often put his presidential ambitions ahead of his responsibilities to Massachusetts. The New York Times recently reported that during his four year term, Romney spent more than 400 days away from Massachusetts to cement his inevitable run for President.

President Obama has laid out a clear path to move our nation forward by investing in education, manufacturing, energy, innovation and infrastructure, and by reforming the tax code and paying down our debt in a balanced way that ensures everyone pays their fair share. President Obama has proven that he can deliver for the American people. He has rescued the auto-industry, ended the war in Iraq, and passed health care reform. Mitt Romney would return us to the same top-down failed policies that crashed our economy and hurt the middle class and would serve as a rubber stamp for Congressional Republicans' extreme agenda.

On Wednesday, October 24, President Obama will kick-off his America Forward! Tour with a grassroots event in Davenport, Iowa at the Quad on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.

EVENT LOCATION: The Quad on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds (2815 West Locust Street, Davenport, IA 52804)

DOORS OPEN: 8:00 AM CDT, Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Ticket Distribution Information for Members of the Public: Tickets are available for President's event in Davenport, IA. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for entrance. One ticket per person will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. To pick up your ticket, visit one of the following locations beginning on Monday, October 22, 2012 at 9:00AM CDT:

OFA-Iowa Davenport Office

1706 Brady Street #204

Davenport, IA 52803

OFA-Iowa Bettendorf Office

1630 State Street

Bettendorf, IA 52722

OFA-Iowa Blue Grass Office

114 South Mississippi Street

Blue Grass, IA 52726