Photo by Chris Stewart and Dayton-Daily News
Former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney started his campaign for the Republican nomination in Cuyahoga County, Ohio giving a speech at Republican Party's 20th annual Lincoln Dinner in Cuyahoga County. Cuyahoga County is in a critical corner of the state and is part of a 20 County media market, which has historically provided an average or 34.5% of the statewide vote in the past six presidential elections. Republicans made up 30% of that vote in presidential elections between 1988 and 2008. Thus these key 20 counties served as a must win tomorrow on Election Day. No candidate has won the presidency since 1960 without capturing two of three states: Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. As a result, Romney has spent considerable time in the Ohio doing rallies and stumping and eating at places such as Tom's Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville, Ohio, and City Barbeque in Gahanna, Ohio, First Watch café and restaurant in Cincinnati, and K's Hamburger Shop in Troy, Miami County Ohio. K’s is located in the Ohio’s 8th Congressional District represented by Speaker of the House John Boehner. With the only “wet grill” around, K’s has been in business selling its famous burgers for some 70 years. It's a perfect place for a Presidential candidate to identify with homegrown voters through their food. Locals, who are approximately 90% white and 5% black, consider it a landmark eatery in Troy.