Ohio Governor John Kasich indicated that internal polls on show Mitt Romney will win the swing state’s 18 electoral votes. Barack Obama’s campaign has focused heavily on what it considers a successful bailout of the auto industry to garner favor with Ohio residents. While such an argument may impress voters in the northern region of the state, those in the eastern, western, and southeastern regions are largely more focused on coal and natural gas industry jobs.
During a segment on Meet the Press , Governor Kasich predicted Romney would win Ohio outright. Kasich, never a man to mince words, had this to say during the interview:
“Right now, I believe we’re currently ahead. Internals show us currently ahead. Honestly, I believe that Romney is going to carry Ohio.”
A Cincinnati Enquirer / Ohio News Poll released on Sunday and conducted October 18 to 23, showed the candidates in a dead heat at 49 percent. The Cincinnati Enquirer endorsed Mitt Romney. The Toledo Blade and Youngstown Vindicator , both northern Ohio newspapers, endorsed President Obama. Both publications referenced the auto industry bailout as a deciding factor which played in Obama’s favor.
During his campaign visits in Ohio, the president has also frequently mentioned the state’s unemployment rate. Although Democratic supporters can rightly argue that the auto bailout did play a role in achieving the lower unemployment rate, the bulk of the credit goes to Governor Kasich. He closed a nearly $8 billion budget gap without raising taxes. Kasich also created the JobsOhio agency to help expand existing businesses and attract new employers.