President Barack Obama will visit Colorado Springs next Thursday, and both his supporters and opponents are more than happy that he’s coming. While Democrats are happy he’ll be rallying the base, Republican leadership says his visit will motivate their supporters just as much.

“It might help him out, but I expect to have a bunch of people calling in and showing up at our office because he’s here,” said El Paso County GOP Chairman Eli Bremer.

“The road to the White House goes through El Paso (County), and that’s for both Democrats and Republicans,” he added.

Though Obama has visited Colorado Springs twice over the past couple of months — to speak at the Air Force Academy graduation in May and see the carnage wrought by the Waldo Canyon fire in July — this will be the first hand-shaking baby-kissing event he’s held in El Paso County since 2008.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney made a brief stop in Colorado Springs in February to shake some hands, and he’ll also be back, said local political leaders. Which indicates just how important Colorado Springs is.

Senate Majority Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, pointed out that Colorado Springs is the second largest city in the state, and though El Paso County is a Republican stronghold, there are still 87,000 Democrats and 136,000 unaffiliated voters in in the county.

“Colorado is a swing state, and he needs every possible vote he can get from every corner of the state,” Morse said.

And aside from that, he added, “There are a lot of people who are registered as Republicans because they know that’s the best way to have any influence.”

There’s no word on exactly where and when Obama will be next Thursday, but he’s also stopping in Pueblo that day. On Wednesday, he’ll campaign in Denver and Grand Junction.

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President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign stop at Loudoun County High School on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 in Leesburg, Va. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Evan Vucci