Ohio has 18 electoral votes at stake in the Presidential election. Recent polling data indicates that Obama has a slight lead over Romney. A CNN poll has Obama ahead by 4 percentage points and a Survey USA poll has Obama leading by 3 points. Three counties that are closely watched are Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton. In 2004, Bush won Hamliton county by over 20,000 votes but lost Franklin by almost 50,000 votes and Cuyahoga by over 226,000 votes. In 2008, McCain lost Hamilton by almost 30,000 votes, Franklin by over 115,000 votes, and Cuyahoga by over 250,000 votes. Bush won Ohio in 2004 and Obama won the state in 2008. One of the keys to a Republican victory in 2012 is a high voter turnout from Santorum strongholds in eastern Ohio.
In the US Senate contest, Brown is leading in recent polls. A Rasmussen Reports poll has Brown leading by 4 percentage points and a CBS News/Quinnipiac poll has Brown ahead by 9 points. Republicans need 51 seats to take control of the US Senate if Obama wins the Presidential election.
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Jim Sutliff