Ohio is the ultimate American swing seat. Whoever wins this big state, Americas seventh most populated, wins the election in 14 days time. Obama has been ahead for a long time but Romney is catching up. Ohio has plenty of other small English named towns like Newark, Kettering and Plymouth, where both candidates are spending ever increasing amounts of time.
The approach of states like Ohio to the respective policies of the two American presidential candidates can give us in the uk a lot of assistance.
The guardian recently did an in depth piece on the ohio state voters that is worth reading.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/16/ohio-undecided-voters-obama-romney?newsfeed=true