Ohio's Evangelicals

Also over at RNS, Mark Silk looks at the latest polling data from Ohio and the relative lack of enthusiasm for Mr. Romney among evangelicals. He notes that McCain did better among white evangelicals than Romney is doing today. I would also note that on election night in 2004, the Kerry campaign was convinced they had won the state because they had met or exceeded their turnout numbers in Cleveland and other key Democratic districts. But, George Bush over-performed in the state's evangelical bastions by more than anticipated, especially in the northwest parts of the state.

I wonder if this has a much to do with Romney's Mormonism, or whether it has to do with Romney's comment about the 47%. A lot of people it turns out, many of them parts of the GOP base, have benefited from the kinds of social programs and tax policies he equated with being a moocher. Either way, Romney needs to catch up to the President in Ohio or it is difficult to see how he gets to 270 electoral votes.