CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Colorado Republicans are revved up for Sen. John McCain's acceptance speech and the Road to Victory Rally in Colorado Springs this weekend.

At the McCain campaign headquarters in Centennial, volunteers said the phones have been ringing off the hook with first-time volunteers wanting to help.

"We've talked to people who have never been involved in politics before who are calling in and wanting bumper stickers and signs and 'What can I do?'" said Mary Wenke, vice chair of the Arapahoe County Republican Party, who was hosting a watch party for McCain's acceptance speech Thursday night.

Campaign staffers said more than 130 official watch parties had been organized across the state, as more and more people are energized by the Palin pick.

Two days after the convention, McCain and Palin will visit Colorado Springs, a conservative base in a key battleground state.

"Again, it's a sign that Colorado is an absolute target state, a battleground state," said Tom Kise, spokesman for the John McCain campaign. "We're right where we want to be. We're excited, and we're moving forward."