ANN ARBOR, MI - With hopes of energizing University of Michigan students, the Hillary Clinton campaign has opened a new office in downtown Ann Arbor.

A few dozen campaign supporters, including local Democratic Party officials, U-M students and others volunteering and working for the campaign, attended the office opening on Friday, Sept. 16.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Clinton's running mate, spoke at a rally on the U-M campus earlier this week, laying out a college affordability plan.

With the latest office opening, it's another sign that the Clinton campaign sees Ann Arbor and U-M as important in winning Michigan.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, was on hand to speak at Friday's office opening event on the fourth floor of the Earle Building at 121 W. Washington St., launching a voter registration drive.

Oct. 11 is the deadline to register for the Nov. 8 election. Peters said students are a particular focus of the registration drive.

This is the second coordinated campaign office the Clinton campaign has opened in the Ann Arbor area, including last month's opening of an office at 5060 Jackson Road in Scio Township, just west of Ann Arbor. The campaign also has an office at 418 W. Michigan Ave. in Ypsilanti.

The offices will serve as hubs for organizing activity, allowing supporters to mobilize and help elect Clinton and other Democrats up and down the ballot.

Organizers and volunteers will host phone banks, organizing meetings, and canvasses from the offices.

With each office opening, the campaign is making an effort to expand its volunteer recruitment, voter registration and voter turnout efforts.

"Certainly the race is tightening nationally. Michigan is tightening up a little bit, too," said Chris Savage, chairman of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, who was at Friday's office opening in downtown Ann Arbor.

"Washtenaw County, with its large concentration of Democrats, has a real opportunity if we can turn out our voters to make up for some of the areas where we don't have as good of voter turnout or our support is not as strong."

Savage said the office in downtown Ann Arbor is going to be focused mainly on bringing students in to support the campaign.

"And that's really exciting," he said. "I'm really glad to have their energy, and really hoping they'll become lifelong Democrats."

Ala Thabatah, who brought his son to attend the office opening, said he's planning to get involved with the campaign.

As an immigrant from the Middle East, the West Bloomfield resident said he has been offended by Donald Trump's anti-immigrant positions.

"I am from Israel originally, but I chose this country to be my country because I really believe it's the best country on earth," he said.

"I had to leave my country because I really couldn't be myself, because there is no freedom over there. They don't accept any differences. This country, I really chose it, and I am so proud."

Thabatah said Clinton isn't perfect but she's clearly the most qualified candidate in the race and he appreciates her.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to look at the picture," he said. "My mom, she doesn't even speak English, and she knows Trump is not qualified to be president because he's violent and we don't need more violence. Really, it's like it's a show and he's just there for the entertainment."

During an interview on Friday, Peters offered his reaction to the fact that Trump, after years of claiming Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States, now says he believes the president was born in the U.S. Trump says he blames Clinton's campaign for starting the so-called birther controversy in 2008.

"You just never know where Donald Trump is coming from," Peters said. "He constantly shoots from the hip and I think it's an example of how he simply does not have the temperament to be the president of the United States of America."

See Peters' full response here:

Trump visited Flint this week where he was greeted by a mix of supporters and protesters. He said the Flint pastor who hosted him at her church and made news for telling Trump to steer clear of politics seemed "like a nervous mess."

Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com.