A miniature Republican convention convened in Colorado Springs Thursday evening just before dark at America the Beautiful Park, where a six-foot movie screen was set up for supporters to watch Mitt Romney speak from Tampa.

About 150 people spread out in lawn chairs and on the grass. But the crowd may as well have been at the national convention in Florida — every time the 4,000 delegates at the RNC applauded and cheered, so did the Republicans at the park.

They cheered and hollered and whistled and laughed right along with the telecast on C-SPAN, when Romney said they needed to repeal “Obamacare,” when he said the country needed to build its energy industry, and when he said the country deserves better.

“It was really powerful. It was like something you really felt in your heart — the American dream,” said Sheryl Betts, a local massage therapist.

Not only did Romney’s economic message get her going, but his spiritual side did as well. She nearly teared up when she said it was important to hear that Romney would protect their right to worship as they want.

“Just hearing this, it’s like he really hears what we’re saying,” Betts said.

Jan Occhiuto, sitting next to her, said she’d never been excited about a candidate before in her life. But she loves Romney.

Ken and Angie Brown, who own an Amway business in Woodland Park, said Romney’s speech was “flat-out awesome.”

“It was full of hope and moving forward,” said Angie.

She smiled ear to ear talking about the candidate, and his support for the business community. She loved Romney’s line, “In America, we celebrate success. We don’t apologize for for success.”

Her husband, Ken, added, “Four years ago, it was about change. And it’s time for a change.”

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