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Ryan spoke for the Republicans in a fundraising appeal issued not long after the debate ended. "Mitt crushed it again at tonight's debate," he declared, then asked for more money to help "make Mitt Romney the next president." In the sprint to Election Day, every aspect of the campaign seems to be taking on a fresh sense of urgency
-- the ads, the fundraising, the grass-roots mobilizing, the outreach to key voting blocs, particularly women. Both sides are pouring millions upon millions into TV ads in the battleground states, and independent groups are adding buckets more. Ann Romney, son Tagg Romney and Romney campaign manager Matt Rhoades each emailed supporters with pre-debate appeals for contributions Tuesday, and Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton did likewise for Obama. The president himself quickly issued a post-debate plea to "stand by me" and chip in to give him the edge in the "neck and neck" race. A Republican-leaning independent group supporting Romney launched a new $11.1 million ad push aimed at women, with the ads set to run for a week in most of the battleground states. Polls have showed Obama with a wide lead over Romney among women, but some recent surveys have suggested the gap is narrowing. Both candidates seized on a question in the debate about inequities in workplace salaries to make a broad appeal to women voters. "I want to help women in America get good work by getting a stronger economy," said Romney. He stressed his efforts to recruit women for top administration jobs when he was Massachusetts governor, saying the outreach produced "whole binders full of women." The offhand phrase quickly ricocheted around cyberspace. Obama used the question to point out Romney's plans to end federal financing for Planned Parenthood and his opposition to provisions in the president's health-care overhaul that ensure contraception is covered by health insurance. The debate didn't break a lot of new ground, although Romney signaled a shift in his stance on immigration. The GOP nominee previously had said he would veto legislation to provide a path to legalization for young illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children. But Tuesday night, he said such young people "should have a pathway to become a permanent resident of the United States." As the debates unfold, early voting is already under way in many states, and the push to bank as many early ballots as possible is in overdrive. Democrats cheered when the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Ohio voters to cast ballots on the three days before Election Day, rejecting a request by the state's Republican elections chief and attorney general to get involved in a rancorous battle over early voting. Obama's campaign and Ohio Democrats had sued state officials over changes in state law that took away the three days of voting for most people. All of the political maneuvering was little more than noise for more than 1.3 million Americans: They've already voted.
[Associated
Press;
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