ST. PAUL, Minn--

Count U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs) among the fans of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

“Excitement about Palin is the big thing” Lamborn said to a reporter while walking in downtown St. Paul Wednesday afternoon, just hours before Palin addressed the convention.

“She excites the conservative base because she is a strong conservative, and I think she is a game-changer,” Lamborn said. “Besides exciting the (conservative) base more than they were previously, she also has the potential to draw people sitting on the fence into the Republican camp –  for instance, Hillary supporters who were, in some cases, Republicans or they were unaffiliateds.”

Lamborn said Palin also “solidifies” many conservatives’ support of John McCain.

“I think they feel better about his decision-making, that he included conservatives in a strong way through this pick,” Lamborn said.