Day 42: Election Prayer Focus Arizona

Arizona - Grand Canyon State

Motto: God enriches

Capital/Largest City: Phoenix

Home of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain

Leaders

Governor Janet Napolitano (D)

Senator John McCain (R)

Senator Jon Kyl (R)

1. Rick Renzi (R)
2. Trent Franks (R)
3. John Shadegg (R)
4. Ed Pastor (D)
5. Harry Mitchell (D)
6. Jeff Flake (R)
7. Raul Grijalva (D)
8. Gabrielle Giffords (D)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of Arizona.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in Arizona.
*Declare the people of Arizona are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.

*Declare the many "seekers" who come to Arizona to find spiritual enlightment have a divine encounter with Jesus Christ.
*Declare expansion to Christian media in Arizona.
*Declare the leaders of Arizona walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of Arizona.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of Arizona.
*Declare protection over the state of Arizona.

*Declare the extensive Arizona border is secure.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in Arizona.
*Declare Christians in Arizona get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in Arizona.

Marcos de Niza, a Spanish Franciscan friar, was the first European to explore Arizona. He entered the area in 1539 in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. Although he was followed a year later by another gold seeker, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, most of the early settlement was for missionary purposes. In 1775 the Spanish established Fort Tucson. In 1848, after the Mexican War, most of the Arizona territory became part of the U.S., and the southern portion of the territory was added by the Gadsden Purchase in 1853.
Arizona history is rich in legends of America's Old West. It was here that the great Indian chiefs Geronimo and Cochise led their people against the frontiersmen. Tombstone, Ariz., was the site of the West's most famous shoot-out—the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Today, Arizona has one of the largest U.S. Indian populations; more than 14 tribes are represented on 20 reservations.
Manufacturing has become Arizona's most important industry. Principal products include electrical, communications, and aeronautical items. The state produces over half of the country's copper. Agriculture is also important to the state's economy. Top commodities are cattle and calves, dairy products, and cotton. In 1973 one of the world's most massive dams, the New Cornelia Tailings, was completed near Ajo.
State attractions include the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Fort Apache, and the reconstructed London Bridge at Lake Havasu City. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108181.html)

Arizona was the 48th and last of the contiguous states admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912. Arizona is noted for its desert climate, exceptionally hot summers, and mild winters, but the high country in the north features pine forests and mountain ranges with cooler weather than the lower deserts. New population figures for the year ending July 1, 2006 indicate that Arizona was at that time the fastest growing state in the United States, exceeding the growth of the previous leader, Nevada.
Arizona is one of the Four Corners states. It borders New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, touches Colorado, and has a 389-mile (626 km) international border with the states of Sonora and Baja California in Mexico. In addition to the Grand Canyon, many other national forests, parks, monuments, and Indian reservations are located in the state.

The Grand Canyon is a colorful, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River, in northern Arizona. The canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and is largely contained in the Grand Canyon National Park—one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of designating the Grand Canyon area, visiting on numerous occasions to hunt mountain lion and enjoy the scenery.

Arizona is home to one of the largest and most well-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world. The Barringer Meteorite Crater (better known simply as "Meteor Crater") is a gigantic hole in the middle of the high plains of the Colorado Plateau, about 25 miles (40 km) west of Winslow. A rim of smashed and jumbled boulders, some of them the size of small houses, rises 150 feet (46 m) above the level of the surrounding plain. The crater itself is nearly a mile wide, and 570 feet (174 m) deep.
Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, except in the Navajo Nation, located in the northeastern region of the state.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona)

Religion
According to a 2008 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the most common self-reported religious affiliation of Arizona residents are:
Roman Catholic - 25%
Evangelical Christian - 23%
Non-Religious / Unaffiliated - 22%
Mainline Protestant - 15%
Latter-Day Saint / Mormon - 4%
Judaism - 1%
Others - 11%
L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, lived in Phoenix during Scientology's formative years. Arizona has been labeled the "Birthplace of Scientology." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona)

Politics

From statehood through the late 1940s, Arizona was primarily dominated by the Democratic party. During this time period, the Democratic candidate for the presidency carried the state each election, with the only exceptions being the elections of 1920, 1924 and 1928.
Since the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952, however, the state has voted consistently Republican in national politics, with the Republican candidate carrying the state every time with the sole exception of Bill Clinton in United States presidential election, 1996. In recent years, the Republican Party has also dominated Arizona politics in general. The fast-growing Phoenix and Tucson suburbs became increasingly friendly to Republicans from the 1950s onward. During this time, many "Pinto Democrats," or conservative Democrats from rural areas, became increasingly willing to support Republicans at the state and national level. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona)

Economy

The state's per capita income is $27,232, 39th in the U.S. Arizona had a median household income of $46,693 making it 27th in the country and just shy of the US national median. Early in its history, Arizona's economy relied on the "Five C's": copper (see Copper mining in Arizona), cotton, cattle, citrus, and climate (tourism). At one point Arizona was the largest producer of cotton in the country. Copper is still extensively mined from many expansive open-pit and underground mines, accounting for two-thirds of the nation's output. The state government is Arizona's largest employer, while Wal-Mart is the state's largest private employer, with 17,343 employees (2008). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona)

Day 41: Election Prayer Focus New Mexico

New Mexico - Land of Enchantment

Motto: It grows as it goes

Capital City: Santa Fe

Largest City: Albuquerque

Leaders

Governor Bill Richardson (D)

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D)

Senator Pete V. Domenici (R)

1. Heather Wilson (R)
2. Steve Pearce (R)
3. Tom Udall (D)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of New Mexico.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in New Mexico.
*Declare the people of New Mexico are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of New Mexico walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of New Mexico.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of New Mexico.
*Declare protection over the state of New Mexico.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in New Mexico.
*Declare Christians in New Mexico get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in New Mexico.

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, a Spanish explorer searching for gold, traveled the region that became New Mexico in 1540–1542. In 1598 the first Spanish settlement was established on the Rio Grande River by Juan de Onate; in 1610 Santa Fe was founded and made the capital of New Mexico.
The U.S. acquired most of New Mexico in 1848, as a result of the Mexican War, and the remainder in the 1853 Gadsden Purchase. Union troops captured the territory from the Confederates during the Civil War. With the surrender of Geronimo in 1886, the Apache Wars and most of the Indian conflicts in the area were ended.
Since 1945, New Mexico has been a leader in energy research and development with extensive experiments conducted at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and Sandia Laboratories in the nuclear, solar, and geothermal areas.
Minerals are the state's richest natural resource, and New Mexico is one of the U.S. leaders in output of uranium and potassium salts. Petroleum, natural gas, copper, gold, silver, zinc, lead, and molybdenum also contribute heavily to the state's income.
The principal manufacturing industries include food products, chemicals, transportation equipment, lumber, electrical machinery, and stone-clay-glass products. More than two-thirds of New Mexico's farm income comes from livestock products, especially sheep. Cotton, pecans, and sorghum are the most important field crops. Corn, peanuts, beans, onions, chilies, and lettuce are also grown. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108250.html)

Religion

According to a report compiled by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, the largest denominations in 2000 were the Catholic Church with 670,511; the Southern Baptist Convention with 132,675; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 42,261; and the United Methodist Church with 41,597 adherents. According to a 2008 survey by the Pew Research Center, the most common self-reported religious affiliation of New Mexico residents are:
Roman Catholic – 26%
Evangelical Christian denominations – 25%
Unaffiliated – 21%
Mainline Protestant – 15%
Other affiliations – 12%
No answer – 1%

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico)

Politics
In the past, New Mexico has given its electoral votes to all but two Presidential election winners since statehood. In these exceptions, New Mexicans supported Republican President Gerald Ford over Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in 1976, and Democratic Vice President Al Gore over Texas Governor George W. Bush in 2000.
Recently, New Mexico supported Democrats in 1992, 1996, and 2000. In 2004, George W. Bush narrowly won the state's electoral votes by a margin of 0.8 percentage points with 49.8% of the vote. Democrats hold majorities in 21 of the 33 counties of New Mexico, including Albuquerque, Las Cruces, two northwestern counties, and, by large margins, in six counties of Northern New Mexico (Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos, Mora, San Miguel, and Guadalupe).
The Democratic Party generally dominates state politics, and as of 2008, 50% of voters were registered Democrats, 33% were registered Republicans, and 15% did not affiliate with either of the two major parties. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico)

Culture

With a Native American population of 134,000 in 1990, New Mexico still ranks as an important center of American Indian culture. Both the Navajo and Apache share Athabaskan origin. The Apache and some Ute live on federal reservations within the state. With 16 million acres, mostly in neighboring Arizona, the reservation of the Navajo Nation ranks as the largest in the United States. The prehistorically agricultural Pueblo Indians live in pueblos scattered throughout the state, many older than any European settlement.
More than one-third of New Mexicans claim Hispanic origin, the vast majority of whom descend from the original Spanish colonists in the northern portion of the state. Most of the considerably fewer recent Mexican immigrants reside in the southern part of the state.
There are many New Mexicans who also speak a unique dialect of Spanish. New Mexican Spanish has vocabulary often unknown to other Spanish speakers. Because of the historical isolation of New Mexico from other speakers of the Spanish language, the local dialect preserves some late medieval Castilian vocabulary considered archaic elsewhere, adopts numerous Native American words for local features, and contains much Anglicized vocabulary for American concepts and modern inventions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico)

Day 40: Election Prayer Focus Colorado

Colorado - Centennial State

Motto: Nothing without Providence

Capital/Largest City: Denver

Leaders

Governor Bill Ritter (D)

Senator Wayne A. Allard (R)

Senator Ken Salazar (D)

1. Diana DeGette (D)
2. Mark Udall (D)
3. John T. Salazar (D)
4. Marilyn Musgrave (R)
5. Doug Lamborn (R)
6. Thomas G. Tancredo (R)
7. Ed Perlmutter (D)

Colorado is a key swing state in the 2008 Presidential Election.

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of Colorado.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in Colorado.

*Declare Christian media expands in the state of Colorado.

*Declare a larger platform for Focus on the Family and its affiliate ministries to inform the nation on policy matters regarding the family and moral issues.
*Declare the people of Colorado are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of Colorado walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of Colorado.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of Colorado.
*Declare protection over the state of Colorado.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, Air Force Academy, and military bases in Colorado.
*Declare Christians in Colorado get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in Colorado.

First visited by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, the territory was claimed for Spain by Juan de Ulibarri in 1706. The U.S. obtained eastern Colorado as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the central portion in 1845 with the admission of Texas as a state, and the western part in 1848 as a result of the Mexican War.
Colorado has the highest mean elevation of any state, with more than 1,000 Rocky Mountain peaks over 10,000 ft high and 54 towering above 14,000 ft. Pikes Peak, the most famous of these mountains, was discovered by U.S. Army lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike in 1806.
Once primarily a mining and agricultural state, Colorado's economy is now driven by the service industries, including medical providers and other business and professional services. Colorado's economy also has a strong manufacturing base. The primary manufactures are food products, printing and publishing, machinery, and electrical instruments. The state is also a communications and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain region.
The farm industry, which is primarily concentrated in livestock, is also an important element of the state's economy. The primary crops in Colorado are corn, hay, and wheat.
Breathtaking scenery and world-class skiing make Colorado a prime tourist destination. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108189.html)

Colorado is also one of only four states in the United States to share a common border (Four Corners), along with Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. At this intersection, it is possible to stand in four states at once.

Religion
Colorado is predominately Christian, although it has a high percentage of religiously unaffiliated residents like most other Western states. Colorado, and specifically the City of Colorado Springs, serves as the headquarters of numerous Christian groups, many of them Evangelical. Focus on the Family is a major conservative Christian organization headquartered in Colorado Springs. Catholicism is popular in Colorado, and is becoming more so with the influx of Latino immigrants.
Major religious affiliations of the people of Colorado are:
Christian – 65%
Protestant – 44%
Evangelical – 23%
Mainline – 19%
Other Protestant – 2%
Roman Catholic – 19%
Latter Day Saint – 2%
Jewish – 2%
Muslim – 1%
Other Religions – 1%
Unaffiliated – 31%
The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 752,505; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 92,326; and the Southern Baptist Convention with 85,083. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado)

Health
Colorado also has a reputation for being a state of very active and athletic people. According to several studies, Coloradoans have the lowest rates of obesity of any state in the US. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado)

Energy
Colorado has significant energy resources. According to the Energy Information Administration, Colorado hosts seven of the Nation’s 100 largest natural gas fields and two of its 100 largest oil fields. Conventional and unconventional natural gas output from several Colorado basins typically accounts for more than 5 percent of annual U.S. natural gas production. Substantial deposits of bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite coal are also found in the State. Colorado's high Rocky Mountain ridges offer wind power potential, and geologic activity in the mountain areas provides potential for geothermal power development. Major rivers flowing from the Rocky Mountains offer hydroelectric power resources. Corn grown in the flat eastern part of the State offers potential resources for ethanol production. Notably, Colorado’s oil shale deposits hold an estimated 1 trillion barrels (160 km3) of oil – nearly as much oil as the entire world’s proven oil reserves. Oil production from those deposits, however, remains speculative. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado)

Politics

Colorado is considered a swing state in both state and federal elections. Coloradans elected 17 Democrats and 12 Republicans to the governorship in the last 100 years. In presidential politics, Colorado supported Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, and supported Republican presidential nominee Robert J. Dole in 1996 and George W. Bush in 2000, and 2004.
Colorado politics has the contrast of conservative cities such as Colorado Springs and liberal cities such as Boulder. Democrats are strongest in metropolitan Denver, the college towns of Fort Collins and Boulder, southern Colorado (including Pueblo), and a few western ski resort counties. The Republicans are strongest in the Eastern Plains, Colorado Springs, Greeley, some Denver suburbs, and the western half of State (including Grand Junction). The fastest growing parts of the state particularly Douglas, Elbert, and Weld Counties, in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area, are somewhat Republican. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado)

Day 39: Election Prayer Focus Wyoming

Wyoming - Equality State

Motto: Equal rights

Capital/Largest City: Cheyenne

Leaders

Governor Dave Freudenthal (D)

Senator Michael B. Enzi (R)

Senator Craig Thomas (R)

Rep. Barbara Cubin (R)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of Wyoming.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in Wyoming.
*Declare the people of Wyoming are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of Wyoming walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of Wyoming.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of Wyoming.
*Declare protection over the state of Wyoming.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in Wyoming.
*Declare Christians in Wyoming get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in Wyoming.

The U.S. acquired the land comprising Wyoming from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. John Colter, a fur-trapper, is the first white man known to have entered the region. In 1807 he explored the Yellowstone area and brought back news of its geysers and hot springs.
Robert Stuart pioneered the Oregon Trail across Wyoming in 1812–1813 and, in 1834, Fort Laramie, the first permanent trading post in Wyoming, was built. Western Wyoming was obtained by the U.S. in the 1846 Oregon Treaty with Great Britain and as a result of the treaty ending the Mexican War in 1848.
When the Wyoming Territory was organized in 1869, Wyoming women became the first in the nation to obtain the right to vote. In 1925 Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman governor in the United States.
Wyoming's towering mountains and vast plains provide spectacular scenery, grazing lands for sheep and cattle, and rich mineral deposits.
Mining, particularly oil and natural gas, is the most important industry. Wyoming has the world's largest sodium carbonate (natrona) deposits and has the nation's second largest uranium deposits.
In 2004 Wyoming ranked second among the states in wool production (exceeded only by Texas) and third in sheep and lambs (exceeded only by Texas and California); it also had 1,400,000 cattle. Principal crops include wheat, oats, sugar beets, corn, barley, and alfalfa.
Second in mean elevation to Colorado, Wyoming has many attractions for the tourist trade, notably Yellowstone National Park. Hikers, campers and skiers are attracted to Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole National Monument in the Teton Range of the Rockies. Cheyenne is famous for its annual “Frontier Days” celebration. Flaming Gorge, the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and Devils Tower and Fossil Butte National Monuments are other points of interest. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108293.html)

While the tenth largest U.S. state by size, Wyoming is the least populous (including the District of Columbia), with a U.S. Census estimated population of 522,830 in 2007. It has the second lowest population density, following Alaska.

Public lands
Over 48% of the land in Wyoming is owned by the U.S. Government, which ranks fifth in the US in both total acres owned by the Federal Government and by percentage of a state's land owned by the Federal government. This amounts to about 30,099,430 acres (121,808.1 km2) owned and managed by the U.S. Government. The state government owns an additional 6% of all Wyoming lands, or another 3,864,800 acres (15,640 km2).
The vast majority of this government land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service in numerous National Forests, a National Grassland, and a number of vast swaths of public land.
In addition, Wyoming contains a number of specific areas that are under the management of the National Park Service and other agencies. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming)

Religion
The religious affiliations of the people of Wyoming are shown in the table below:
Christian – 78%
Protestant – 53%
Lutheran – 8%
Baptist – 8%
Methodist – 6%
Presbyterian – 4%
Episcopal – 4%
Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
Roman Catholic – 16%
LDS (Mormon) – 11%
Other Religions – 1%
Jewish – 0.1%
Non-Religious – 20.9%
The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 80,421; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 47,129; and the Southern Baptist Convention with 17,101. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming)

Economy

According to the 2005 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wyoming’s gross state product was $27.4 billion. Wyoming’s unemployment rate for 2006 was approximately 3.3%, which was lower than the national average of 4.6%. Components of Wyoming's economy differ significantly from those of other states. The mineral extraction industry and the travel and tourism sector are the main drivers behind Wyoming’s economy. The Federal government owns about 50% of its landmass, while 6% is controlled by the state. Total taxable values of mining production in Wyoming for 2001 was over $6.7 billion. The tourism industry accounts for over $2 billion in revenue for the state.
In 2002, over six million people visited Wyoming’s national parks and monuments. The key tourist attractions in Wyoming include Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Devils Tower National Monument and Fossil Butte National Monument. Each year Yellowstone National Park receives three million visitors.
Historically, agriculture has been an important component of Wyoming’s economic identity. Its overall importance to the performance of Wyoming’s economy has waned. However, it is still an essential part of Wyoming’s culture and lifestyle. The main agricultural commodities produced in Wyoming include livestock (beef), hay, sugar beets, grain (wheat and barley), and wool. Over 91% of land in Wyoming is classified as rural.

Wyoming’s mineral commodities include coal, natural gas, coalbed methane, crude oil, uranium, and trona. Wyoming ranks highest in mining employment in the U.S. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming)

Politics
Wyoming is predominantly conservative and politically Republican. The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964, and there are only two reliably Democratic counties. Wyoming has the lowest unemployment rate, extremely low tax rates (no income or inheritance taxes), and has the single most "business friendly" tax climate of all 50 states.

Wyoming was chosen as the official state for the Free State Wyoming project; a splinter of the Free State Project. The purpose of the project is to relocate Libertarians to a single state, making it possible to live a free life. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming)

Day 38: Election Prayer Focus Montana

Montana - The Treasure State

Motto: Gold and silver

Capital City: Helena

Largest City: Billings

Leaders

Governor Brian Schweitzer (D)

Senator Max Baucus (D)

Senator Jon Tester (D)

Rep. Denny Rehberg (R)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of Montana.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in Montana.
*Declare the people of Montana are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of Montana walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of Montana.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of Montana.
*Declare protection over the state of Montana.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in Montana.
*Declare Christians in Montana get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in Montana.

First explored for France by François and Louis-Joseph Verendrye in the early 1740s, much of the region was acquired by the U.S. from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Before western Montana was obtained from Great Britain in the Oregon Treaty of 1846, American trading posts and forts had been established in the territory.
The major Indian Wars (1867–1877) included the famous 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn, better known as “Custer's Last Stand,” in which Cheyenne and Sioux defeated George A. Custer and more than 200 of his men in southeast Montana.
Much of Montana's early history was concerned with mining, with copper, lead, zinc, silver, coal, and oil as principal products. Butte is the center of the area that once supplied half of the U.S. copper.
Fields of grain cover much of Montana's plains. It ranks high among the states in wheat and barley, with rye, oats, flaxseed, sugar beets, and potatoes as other important crops. Sheep and cattle raising make significant contributions to the economy. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108237.html)

The state nickname is the "Treasure State." Other nicknames include "Land of Shining Mountains," "Big Sky Country," and the slogan "The Last Best Place." The state ranks fourth in area, but 44th in population, and therefore has the third lowest population density in the United States. The economy is primarily based on ranching and wheat farming in the east, lumber and tourism in the west, oil and coal in the east, and hard rock mining in the west. Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park, the Battle of Little Bighorn site, and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.

The coldest temperature on record for Montana is the coldest temperature for the entire continental U.S. On January 20, 1954 -70 °F was recorded at a gold mining camp near Rogers Pass. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana)

Religion

Approximately 82% of the population is Christian. The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 169,250; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 50,287; and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 32,726. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana)

Politics

The state was the first to elect a female member of Congress (Jeannette Rankin) and was one of the first states to give women voting rights.

Historically, Montana is a Swing state of cross-ticket voters with a tradition of sending "conservatives to Helena (the state capital) and liberals to Washington." However, there have also been long-term shifts of party control. During the 1970s, the state was dominated by the Democratic Party, with Democratic governors for a 20-year period, and a Democratic majority of both the national congressional delegation and during many sessions of the state legislature. This pattern shifted, beginning with the 1988 election, when Montana elected a Republican governor and sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate for the first time since the 1940s. This shift continued with the reapportionment of the state's legislative districts that took effect in 1994, when the Republican Party took control of both houses of the state legislature, consolidating a party dominance that lasted until 2004. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, when Bill Clinton won a plurality victory.
In recent years, Montana has been classified as a Republican-leaning state, and the state supported President George W. Bush by a wide margin in 2000 and 2004. However, since the 2000 reapportionment plan went into effect in 2004 the state currently has a Democratic governor (Brian Schweitzer), elected in 2004. In the 2006 midterm elections, Democratic candidate Jon Tester narrowly defeated (by only 3000 votes) incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns, one of several crucial races that allowed the Democratic Party to win the majority in the U.S. Senate. Montana's lone US Representative, Republican Denny Rehberg, easily won reelection. The state Senate is (as of 2007) controlled by the Democrats and the State House of Representatives is controlled by the Republicans. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana)

Interesting Facts

Montana's triple divide allows water to flow into three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Mexico), and the Arctic Ocean (Hudson Bay). This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.

In 1888, Helena (the current state capital) had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana)

Day 37: Election Prayer Focus North Dakota

North Dakota - Sioux State

Motto: Liberty and union, now and forever: one and inseparable

Capital City: Bismarck

Largest City: Fargo

Leaders

Governor John Hoeven (R)

Senator Kent Conrad (D)

Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D)

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of North Dakota.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in North Dakota.
*Declare the people of North Dakota are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of North Dakota walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of North Dakota.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of North Dakota.
*Declare protection over the state of North Dakota.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in North Dakota.
*Declare Christians in North Dakota get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in North Dakota.

North Dakota is the most rural of all the states, with farms covering more than 90% of the land. North Dakota ranks first in the nation's production of spring and durum wheat; other agricultural products include barley, rye, sunflowers, dry edible beans, honey, oats, flaxseed, sugar beets, hay, beef cattle, sheep, and hogs.
Recently, manufacturing industries have grown, especially food processing and farm equipment. The state's coal and oil reserves are plentiful, and it also produces natural gas, lignite, clay, sand, and gravel. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108256.html)

Religion
North Dakota has the lowest percentage of non-religious people of any state, and it also has the most churches per capita of any state.
A 2001 survey indicated that 35% of North Dakota's population was Lutheran, and 30% was Roman Catholic. Other religious groups represented were Methodists (7%), Baptists (6%), the Assembly of God (3%), and Jehovah's Witness (1%). Christians with unstated or other denominational affiliations, including other Protestants, totaled 3%, bringing the total Christian population to 86%. Non-Christian religions, such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, together represented 4% of the population. Three percent of respondents answered "no religion" on the survey, and 6% refused to answer.
The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 179,349; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 174,554; and the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod with 23,720.

Culture

North Dakota cuisine includes Knoephla soup: a thick, stew-like chicken soup with dumplings, lutefisk: lye-treated fish, Kuchen: a pie-like pastry, lefse: a flat bread made from mashed potatoes that is eaten with butter and sugar, Fleischkuekle, a deep fried entree of ground beef covered in dough, and served with chips and a pickle in most restaurants; strudel: a dough-and-filling item that can either be made as a pastry, or a savory dish with onions or meat; and other traditional German and Norwegian dishes. North Dakota also shares concepts such as hot dishes along with other Midwestern states.
Along with having the most churches per capita of any state, North Dakota has the highest percentage of church-going population of any state. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota)

Economy

Agriculture is the largest industry in North Dakota, although petroleum and food processing are also major industries. North Dakota is also the only state with a state owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota in Bismarck, and a state owned flour mill, the North Dakota Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota)

Energy
Coal mines generate 93% of the North Dakota electricity. Oil was discovered near Tioga, North Dakota in 1951, generating 53 million barrels (8,400,000 m3) of oil a year by 1984. Western North Dakota is currently in an oil boom, the Tioga, Stanley and Minot-Burlington communities are experiencing rapid growth. The oil reserves may hold up to 400 billion barrels (6.4×1010 m3) of oil, 25 times larger than the reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. However, a report issued in April 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the oil recoverable by current technology in the Bakken formation is two orders of magnitude less, in the range of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels, with a mean of 3.65 billion.
Long called the "Saudi Arabia" of wind energy, North Dakota has the capability of producing 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of energy. That is enough to power 25% of the entire country's energy needs. Wind energy in North Dakota is also very cost effective because the state has large rural expanses and wind speeds seldom go below 10 mph. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota)

Politics

The Republican Party presidential candidate usually carries the state; in 2004, George W. Bush won with 62.9% of the vote. Of all the Democratic presidential candidates since 1892, only Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson received Electoral College votes from North Dakota.
On the other hand, Dem-NPL candidates for North Dakota's federal Senate and Congressional seats have won every election since 1982, and the state's federal delegation has been entirely Democratic since 1986. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota)

Day 36: Election Prayer Focus South Dakota

South Dakota - Mt. Rushmore State

Motto: Under God the people rule

Capital City: Pierre

Largest City: Sioux Falls

Leaders

Governor Mike Rounds (R)

Senator John R. Thune (R)

Senator Tim Johnson (D)

Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D)

Prayer Points

*Declare revival comes to the state of South Dakota.
*Declare signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word in South Dakota.
*Declare the people of South Dakota are open to receive the truth of the Gospel.
*Declare the leaders of South Dakota walk in wisdom and the fear of the Lord.
*Declare prosperity comes to the state of South Dakota.
*Declare heaven’s strategies come to the leaders of South Dakota.
*Declare protection over the state of South Dakota.
*Declare protection over the National Guard, military personnel, and military bases in South Dakota.
*Declare Christians in South Dakota get out and vote according to Biblical principles.
*Declare an accurate accounting of the vote in South Dakota.

The U.S. acquired the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and it was explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804–1806. Fort Pierre, the first permanent settlement, was established in 1817.
Settlement of South Dakota did not begin in earnest until the arrival of the railroad in 1873 and the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874.
Agriculture is a cultural and economic mainstay, but it no longer leads the state in employment or share of gross state product. Durable-goods manufacturing and private services have evolved as the drivers of the economy. Tourism is also a booming industry in the state, generating over a billion dollars' worth of economic activity each year.
South Dakota is the second-largest producer of flaxseed and sunflower seed in the nation. It is the third-largest producer of hay and rye.
The Black Hills are the highest mountains east of the Rockies. Mt. Rushmore, in this group, is famous for the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, which were carved in granite by Gutzon Borglum. A memorial to Crazy Horse is also being carved in granite near Custer.
Other tourist attractions include the Badlands; the World's Only Corn Palace, in Mitchell; and the city of Deadwood, where Wild Bill Hickok was killed in 1876 and where gambling was recently legalized. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108270.html)

Historically dominated by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle, South Dakota has recently sought to diversify its economy in an effort to attract and retain residents. The state is still largely rural, though, with one of the lowest population densities in the United States. While several notable Democratic senators have represented South Dakota at the federal level, the state's government is largely dominated by the Republican Party, and Republicans have carried South Dakota in the last ten presidential elections. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota)

Religion
The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 181,434 members; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with 121,871 members; and the United Methodist Church (UMC) with 37,280 members. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota)

Education
As of 2006, South Dakota has a total primary and secondary school enrollment of 136,872, with 120,278 of these students being educated in the public school system. There are 703 public schools in 168 school districts, giving South Dakota the highest number of schools per capita in the United States. The current high school graduation rate is 89.9%, and the average ACT score is 21.8, slightly above the national average of 21.1. 84.6% of the adult population has earned at least a high school diploma, and 21.5% has earned a bachelor's degree or higher. South Dakota's average public school teacher salary of $34,040, compared to a national average of $47,674, is the lowest in the nation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota)

Interesting Facts

South Dakota is home to the largest naturally heated indoor swimming pool in the world. Evans Plunge, heated from natural mineral springs, is in Hot Springs.
The Black Hills of South Dakota was one of the sites considered for the permanent home of the United Nations.
South Dakota has the largest U.S. population of Hutterites, who originally emigrated from Ukraine in 1874, left en masse for Canada in 1918 following persecution over their pacifist religious beliefs, and partially returned in the 1930s.
The largest and most complete fossil of Tyrannosaurus rex ever found was uncovered near Faith in 1990. Named "Sue" the remains are over 90% complete and are currently on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
The 1990 movie Dances with Wolves directed by and starring Kevin Costner as Lieutenant John Dunbar was filmed almost entirely in South Dakota.
Pierre is the second-smallest (in terms of population) state capital; only Montpelier, Vermont, has fewer people. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota)