Whether they were cheering for Sen. Barack Obama in Denver or for Sen. John McCain in St. Paul, Minn., REALTORS® were a force at the Democratic and Republican national conventions this fall.

Michael Eaves, ABR®, CRS®, GRI, a REALTOR® in Bel Air, Md., and a Democratic delegate for his state, said REALTORS® benefit from their strong presence at the conventions, and it’s personally gratifying as well. "It's a very exciting time to be here, casting my vote not just as a delegate but as a Realtor(r)," said Eaves, a delegate for Sen. Hilary Clinton, just moments before the Maryland delegation announced its vote.

More than 90 REALTORS® were in Denver and more than 220 in Minneapolis-St. Paul as delegates to their conventions."The large number of REALTORS® who are delegates reflects our members’ deep involvement in their communities," says NAR 2007 President Pat V. Combs. She was in Denver to host a luncheon for the REALTOR® delegates. NAR President-Elect Charles McMillan hosted a similar luncheon in St. Paul.

There are other NAR-sponsored events, too. In Denver, for example, NAR 2008 First Vice President-nominee Ronald Phipps represented NAR at a lunch with the Creative Coalition, the social advocacy arm of the U.S. entertainment industry, to recognize the work of Denver-based Brothers Redevelopment. Brothers provides counseling to financially troubled homeowners as they attempt to renegotiate loan terms with their lenders. NAR and the Creative Coalition presented a $10,000 check to the group at the lunch.

With the weeks winding down to the Nov. 4 national elections, REALTOR® issues like the mortgage credit crisis, health insurance, and infrastructure development remain near the top of presidential campaign agendas.

In his convention acceptance speech, Obama said, "The American promise has been threatened once more. More of you have lost your homes and more are watching your home values plummet."

In speeches leading up to the Republican convention (this story was filed before Republicans met), McCain promised to go beyond the housing bill Congress passed this summer by creating a "HOME Plan," which would enable an additional 400,000 households to replace their troubled mortgage with an FHA-insured loan. "There is nothing more important than keeping alive the American dream of homeownership," he said.

Although it takes an active role in both major party conventions, the National Association of REALTORS® doesn’t endorse a presidential candidate. "Whichever party is elected, REALTORS® will have a lot of resources devoted to their issues," says NAR Chief Lobbyist Jerry Giovaniello.