Chuck Schumer

WASHINGTON - National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Ensign (R-Nev.) wants to make it absolutely clear: national Republicans are in Colorado's Senate race for good.

"The Colorado race has closed up, and that's the reason we're going to stay there. We're going to stay there up until the end," Ensign told an audience at a National Press Club breakfast Tuesday morning.

Pointing to internal polling figures showing Republican candidate Bob Schaffer five points down, Ensign said, "Basically, that's a very winnable race. It's a battleground in the presidential race and we're going to be there until the end."

Check back next week to view my Convention Sketchpads from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.