HELENA – Presidential candidate Barack Obama announced Wednesday he is setting up campaign offices in Montana and will hold a public rally in Missoula on Saturday.
Spokesman Matt Chandler said the campaign hopes to have offices set up in Helena and Missoula by the end of the week, with about 10 staffers working in the state. A Billings office will be opened later.
The Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign also said Wednesday it was planning to open offices in the state, although there was nothing firm in place.
Montana is getting a full dose of presidential politics this week, after Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife in four cities on Tuesday.
Obama will hold his public rally at the University of Montana at 10 a.m. Saturday morning, before he goes to Butte for a Democratic dinner where both he and Hillary Clinton speak.
Obama’s campaign said the Missoula event is free, but tickets will be given on a first-come, first-served basis on Obama’s Web site or at his Missoula office.
The Butte dinner featuring both candidates is sold out.
Hillary Clinton will be holding a fundraiser Sunday morning in Missoula, but no public events have yet been announced for that city.
The visits come a full two months before the state’s June 3 primary, at which 17 delegates are at stake. Montana also has eight superdelegates who can vote for whomever they want, and two have committed to Obama.