Presidential campaigns hustle to get voters to the polls

MILWAUKEE -- With less than two weeks to go until election day, the presidential debates are over, TV ads have persuaded most of the undecided voters, and all that's left is getting voters out to the polls. The "get out the vote" effort is now the focus of both presidential campaigns in battleground state Wisconsin.

As President Barack Obama campaigned in Florida Thursday, October 25th, Florida's star Republican Senator Marco Rubio was in Wisconsin. Sen. Rubio talked to Wisconsin voters saying he never expected the race to be so close in the Dairy State, calling it a "pleasant surprise."

"It's not an exaggeration to say this state can decide the presidency of the United States," Sen. Rubio said.

Wisconsin Democrats are also emphasizing how close the presidential race is here in Wisconsin.

"Some people say it could all come down to Wisconsin and Ohio. That means whether or not the students at UWM turnout could be decisive," Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold said.

Now, both sides are working hard to drive up voter turnout.

"Remember Scott Walker's race on June 5th? That race was tied 49-49 going into the last day, but you know what? it was the ground game," Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Brad Courtney said.

"We have a significant operation in Wisconsin to organize people and help them get to the polls. Our national team leaders all over that state," Obama campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said.

Republicans are rejoicing over a new AP poll showing President Obama's 16 point lead among women erased.

"I'm so excited to be the one to tell you this morning that the gender gap is gone today. We are dead even," Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch said.

The Obama campaign says the poll is wrong.

"I think that the gender gap is real.  I'm pretty confident that on election day there's going to be a double digit gender gap," Cutter said.

Senator Rubio says this election will be decided on just one issue -- the economy.

"I don't believe (President Obama) believes in the free enterprise system in the same way I do, and he certainly doesn't understand it," Sen. Rubio said.

"I don't think Sen. Rubio understands what actually crashed the economy or how it grew the economy.  The president absolutely believes in the free market system, but he also believes everybody should play by the same rules," Cutter said.

The latest poll from Public Policy Polling shows President Obama with a bigger lead in Wisconsin than other polls -- showing Obama up 51 to 45 over Romney.

President Obama has visited Wisconsin twice since the Democratic National Convention. His wife, Michelle Obama has visited three times, and Vice President Joe Biden will make his third appearance in the state Friday, October 26th.

Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin native Paul Ryan has campaigned in the state twice, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has not visited the state since August 12th.