NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — It was the moment Republican faithful across Indiana had been waiting for: a GOP "rock star" moment from the party's newest celebrity, Alaska Governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. So, how did the rally stack up with local voters?

It was the question on the minds of Indiana Republican officials, who had hoped there would be no serious battle to win the traditionally red state.

But, if there was any doubt that a fight is underway, it was quickly dismissed. Party leaders estimate a standing room only crowd of nearly 25,000 was on hand at Noblesville's Verizon Wireless Music Center to see Palin, hoping to hear her plan to win Hoosier votes.

Some say, that's exactly what they got.

But will it be enough to seal a win for the McCain-Palin ticket?

Well, the energy rivaling any big name show that's ever hit the music venue, made a convincing argument.

"I'm really excited," yelled a young woman dressed in red, in line for the venue since 8 Friday morning.

"Pitbull mom lipstick!" echoed a vendor, selling everything from "campaign playing cards" with Barack Obama as the joker, to Sarah Palin hunting gear.

"We've got Palin pink and Republican red," said Fess Crockett of St. Louis, as he walked up and down the growing line offering the black tubes of lipstick. "People are buying. They're excited. And part of [the profits] go to support the Special Olympics."

And, for all the hype, the electric crowd didn't disappoint as Palin took the stage.

Indiana is considered a presidential battleground state for the first time in more than four decades. The state has not chosen a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, but recent polls show the candidates running even or John McCain slightly ahead.

Obama has spent more than $7.5 million in the state since the run-up to the May primary, which he narrowly lost to Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has made six appearances in the state since mid-July, while McCain's only visit was a July 1 appearance at a sheriff's convention and a private fundraiser.

Some Republicans, including Gov. Mitch Daniels, who could not attend Friday's rally, have voiced concern that McCain has not been visible enough in the state. The McCain campaign has said it has reached out to voters through its county-level organizations, but many in GOP circles have quietly questioned whether the party was taking the state for granted.

With her trademark smile flashing, Palin thanked the crowd for their warm welcome, and drew big cheers when she informed them her favorite movie is the film "Hoosiers."

But the warm feelings didn't last long, as Palin quickly went on the offensive against Barack Obama, touching first on his tax plan.

Then, she drew a chorus of boos from the crowd after mentioning allegations of Obama's ties of the voter registration group ACORN.

ACORN is a community activist group accused of falsifying thousands of voter registration applications, many low income, Democratic leaning voters. Those accusation include Lake and St. Joseph Counties in Indiana and Berrien County, Michigan.

Palin repeated a phrase she said earlier in the day at a campaign rally in Ohio about why the issue continues to be brought up.

"It's not mean spirited. It's not negative campaigning to ask someone about their record. It's in fairness to the electorate," she told the crowd.

She also defended her running mate, repeating his claim from Wednesday's third and final Presidential debate.

"This year, the name on the ballot is John McCain. And America knows John McCain is his own man. If Barack Obama wanted to run against President Bush, he should have run 4 years ago," Palin said to wild applause from the crowd.

Some local voters we spoke with said this time, that claim, and others really hit home for a different reason.

"It resonates with me as a mom, a Republican woman, and someone concerned about the issues of the day," said Cynthia Herms of Elkhart, who brought her daughter and a group of her friends to see Palin speak. "She's one of us!"

South Bend St. Joseph High School Senior Josh Dolezal was one of them.

Turns out, Friday was his 18th birthday.

He says he couldn't have gotten a better present.

"She said, make sure you register when she signed my ticket and my button. I already am," he said with a wide grin.

But for other local supporters, the choice came down to something else.

"It's the choice between a politician that will raise your taxes and a leader that's going to Washington to work for people like Joe the plumber," said Palin, referencing the now infamous Ohio man who became the headline of Wednesday's debate.

Trent Castor of Osceola says he's just like Joe. He's a small business owner who runs his own car repair shops in South Bend and Goshen, and he's worried about what Obama's tax plan could mean to him.

"It could mean cutbacks. It could mean we close the doors. The tax breaks for businesses like ours will go away with that $250,000 limit," Castor said.

But his wife Michelle says, with McCain, they don't believe that will happen.

They also believe Indiana will remain a red state.

"I'm very confident. Very confident," she said before the rally.

But only, Palin said, if McCain's own message of "change" reaches Hoosier voters before election day.

"There's only one man with the courage to keep fighting for you-- and that man is John McCain," she said before walking off stage to raucous applause.

St. Joe County Republicans handed out more than 100 tickets for Friday's rally.

Event organizers say the rally was sold out, and some hopefuls without a ticket had to be turned away.

The Indiana Associated Press contributed to this story.