Political landscape of Ohio

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Welcome back to wood county Ohio we're here at the fairgrounds.

Wanted to talk a little bit about politics locally with the local panel we welcome to our panel Dave Murray managing editor of the blade.

Melissa Miller political science professor -- Bowling Green State University.

And Craig Thomas anchor reporter for fox Toledo thanks you all for being here.

Greg we are talking about TV ads.

It's just not stop it is incredible if you come here from a state that doesn't have the ads and you watch TV for ten minutes you have no idea.

How there could be this many political ads for us.

The advertising is up over 30% it's politically speaking where was a few years ago every single break on all the local channels you'll see something for one of the -- -- what is the big issue here I know the car industry is huge.

And it seems like it plays a big factor.

Absolutely I mean the economy is the number one issue in Ohio as it is elsewhere.

But the bailout of the auto industry is especially critical here and I think Obama is getting some mileage from that issue in Ohio because so many jobs in Ohio.

Are either directly or indirectly tied to the auto industry so he's getting some traction so when they run an ad that says.

You know he saved the the auto industry that.

That plays that plays here a place certainly northwest Ohio where we have a -- plans auto parts -- I mean there's a lot of auto manufacturing type jobs right here in this corner of the state and I think it resonates now that doesn't mean that everyone across the state believes that it was.

How wonderful idea I mean you know there are a lot of people in this state who still are opposed to big government and are opposed the bailout but I'll tell you why.

The Ohio economy I think has benefited from that bailout.

-- -- so union presence and wood counting pretty high creating count presence in Lucas county it's that is very high.

Is this said the 60000 people a day wake up and somehow whether jobs of the auto industry that spills over and in northern -- -- -- is a -- plan -- -- -- that -- county is more of and agricultural area more it's not as it's definitely not heavily unionized as the discount.

-- interesting split here is that.

The Ohio governor -- Republican John -- it seems to be doing better now in the polls.

As President Obama is doing better.

People care about their jobs and so if they can say.

Well my job is doing better my family's doing better than who's ever in power at a state level and at a national level even though.

They probably had exactly the opposite ideas of how things should go they're both going up so there's a senseless a that this unemployment rate here.

Is a little bit better than the national absolutely it's it is about the seventh place to visit you which -- Which was this huge.

We -- we peaked at ten point 6% in 2009 so we have really come down.

That's another reason auto bail out -- side.

When the president said he says that the economy is on track -- recovery slow but it's under way.

You can kind of I -- here in Ohio more easily than you can and other states where they haven't -- to games that we've seen at.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- I was gonna say -- of one of these good could actually be a rainmaker and artists rain they -- still up there Ohio voters and sadly not gonna happen.

And I think it will I mean I actually think.

-- you know a bomb is in the lead right now but.

I wouldn't start counting on it if -- Obama administration yet things can still tighten up in Ohio.

Funny things can happen -- this is a state that produce Joe The Plumber in 2008.

You know that really shook up the race not far from here there -- more.

Dependence at least that they say their independence in Ohio than many other states.

And it seems like there is it is one of the biggest swing states that we see.

It's always talked about the fact that no Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio -- and that's already out there that it's that important and there's also.

While we talked about the auto bailout as being a big thing for Obama it's not like there's that much love for him otherwise.

In November in Ohio that was -- also vote.

About obamacare.

And a vote against it in non binding but a vote against it so it still is very much in play and I think that's why.

You know we will continue to see these ads and we will continue to see the candidates president Obama's been war here to Ohio than any other state except Virginia.

Since he got into -- you see a presence for the Romney campaign.

Heavy in this area.

One thing I can say is that the Romney campaign seems to be a lot better organized than the McCain campaign was four years ago at this time.

And I think part of that is the Romney campaign has been better -- fundraising than McCain the McCain campaign was and so they've actually opened up field offices not as many as Obama just yet but the money factor is -- -- be mitigated somewhat.

As opposed to the situation in 2008.

-- you think the grassroots get now the people.

Didn't really evil wins elections and Ohio whoever gets out the vote well we'll -- -- the reason we had a flip from the Democratic Party back to the Republican Party.

Intent was because the Democrats didn't get out the vote and have a -- -- And that's what Jack Casey is is an office.

Itself at that it would talked about -- we've heard rumors of the Romney campaign has asked to Casey office not to tout so much that if you must how well I was doing.

So here we've got.

That Republican nominee are -- to -- nominee saying to the Republican ever yet we know you've -- a -- gathered to hold off for a few months we don't want people to think.

If it's against the message that the -- putting out which is it's bad -- getting worse think.

Governor Casey is scheduled to speak at the conventions and you can see how bright this is all playing out.

Dave Melissa Greg thank you so much variance to talk to you and I'm sure we'll be back.

We'll be back here to --

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Political landscape of Ohio

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