Barack Obama's presidential campaign is organizing at least 100 "neighborhood teams" across North Dakota as part of the Democrat's effort to compete in a traditionally Republican state, aides say.

Dan Hannaher, a former North Dakota Democratic chairman and Obama campaign adviser, and Gary Emineth, chairman of the North Dakota GOP, agreed Obama's North Dakota organization will be unprecedented for a presidential candidate.

Hannaher and Emineth differ, however, on whether the network will make Obama the first Democrat since 1964 to win North Dakota's three electoral votes.

"He is a very liberal candidate, and we are a conservative state," Emineth said. "You can have all the organization in the world, but if the people can't support the candidate and his issues, it's not going to do you much good."

Hannaher said he was confident of Obama's chances against John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee, and said Obama's statewide organizing also would help other Democrats on the ballot.

"The excitement brought by this campaign, the Democratic message brought by this campaign, and the resources brought by the Obama campaign are going to help all of the (Democratic) candidates significantly," Hannaher said.

Hannaher; Obama's campaign chief of staff, Jim Messina; and Anita Decker, Obama's North Dakota director, held a conference call for reporters Tuesday to discuss the campaign's organizing efforts.

The neighborhood teams, which are being organized and trained this month, will be recruiting campaign volunteers and potential Obama voters, Decker said.

Obama's Web site has a North Dakota page that will help the Democratic candidate's supporters find like-minded people in their neighborhoods, she said.

The campaign has offices in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot, and plans to open as many as six more in other locations, Decker said. It is organizing community events every weekend.