A conservative political scientist and election analyst says Ohio continues to be the centerpiece of the 2012 presidential campaign.
As the presidential election draws nearer, polls show President Obama continues to maintain the lead in The Buckeye State, which has historically been a bellwether for the nation as a whole. But Dr. Charles W. Dunn, distinguished professor of government at Regent University's Robertson School of Government, says the White House is still up for grabs.
"We have to say that Ohio is indeed the centerpiece of this election, but we also must say that either candidate could win without winning Ohio," he offers. "But history is on the side of Ohio serving as the centerpiece."
Dunn notes there are seven key voting groups in Ohio that reflect the nation as a whole: blacks, Hispanics, Roman Catholics, Jews, women, the young, and evangelicals.
"Now, what do we know about those seven groups? The support for Obama has fallen off in each group," the professor explains. "Well, let's translate this to Ohio, which is a microcosm of the whole United States -- that presents a problem for Obama."
The latest Rasmussen poll of likely voters in Ohio shows the two candidates tied, though Obama leads by an average of 2.1 percent in the RealClearPolitics compilation of polls.