Excellent point, re: Ohio. I guess I haven’t “seperated” Ohio into its parts when looking at its political outlook. You’re right… southern Ohio probably has much more in common with Southern sensibilities than northern.
RE: Indiana… I remain mystified about how they differ so from us, but I’m wondering if they have the same sort of schisms between Southern/Northern parts of their state, or between Rural/City that a more Politco-minded person would be able to explain.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I know exactly what you mean re: the similarities between Michigan and Ohio. Here’s what I think is different though: the southern and southeastern portions of the state that borders on Kentucky, W. VA. The Appalachian terrain and related industries and rural nature of the areas have, I think, really created a community very unlike a lot of other parts of Ohio. Although absolutely there are many parts of Ohio that are unique from one another. But I think they are also unique from Michigan and part of what makes Ohio different from MI when it comes to voters.

As for Indiana, it’s so funny you say that because I was thinking that just yesterday. I don’t know – I’ve not talked to anyone about it, or read much on it, but I would think again that the industries that came to be and are currrently the ones that Indianans rely on have something to do with the difference between Indiana and Ohio. Again, terrain and the distance from water and major metropolitan areas – these have to have something to do with it, don’t you think?

I always think of Ohio as very much like Michigan… a state who is suffering due to the economy and has the same basic mix of industrial jobs (that are vanishing) and farmland (that are small growers, and ergo suffering). If this is true, I wonder why McCain would have any more success there than here? If different, I would love a ‘crash course’ education in how.
And as an OT aside… why is Indiana so different from Michigan and Ohio? (i.e. Leaning McCain when we are leaning Obama?)