Colorado is a swing state. That’s a fact. And it’s a fact that both presidential campaigns know well.

Case in point: Republican candidate Mitt Romney will be back in Colorado Springs on Saturday afternoon, and will speak to what will probably be more than 1,000 supporters at the local airport.

The Centennial state has emerged as a crucial swing state in the presidential race, and both Romney and President Barack Obama have made numerous trips to Colorado during the campaign season, heading into Tuesday’s election.

All of which means that Colorado is now in the same category as other longtime battleground states such as Florida, Ohio, Nevada, and Iowa.

And time is getting short for Romney and Obama. The Denver Post reported Wednesday afternoon that 1.1 million Colorado voters have already cast their ballots, leaving just over two-thirds of the electorate up for grabs.

Also on Saturday, Romney’s running mate, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, will attend a morning rally in Montrose.

Obama will make two Colorado appearances this week. He’ll be at an event in Boulder on Thursday and at a rally in Aurora on Saturday.

Both the president and Romney put their campaigns on hold when Hurricane Sandy struck, and Obama canceled a Colorado trip earlier in the week.

The campaign sent the vice president’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, who rallied Democrats on Monday at an event at Colorado College.

Mitt Romney will speak at the Colorado Springs Airport, 1575 Aviation Way, at 3:50 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Free tickets for the speech can be obtained at www.mittromney.com/CO.

Tickets for the Montrose event with Ryan can be obtained there.

Information on Obama’s Aurora event is forthcoming.—Contact John Schroyer: 476-4825Twitter: @JohnschroyerFacebook: Gazette John Schroyer

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign event at Metropolitan Park, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Rick Wilson) Photo by

Rick Wilson

Mitt Romney Photo by