Ohioblog: A Swing State Journal: Knight Ridder Election 2004

It was the economy, stupid

Mike Hanke knows Stark County. But after picking every president since 1960, Stark County reflects neither Ohio nor the nation. Hanke, the general manager of the The Repository in Canton, predicted Kerry would win this Ohio county considered a bellwether for the nation. Kerry did, 51 percent to 49 percent in what proved a record turnout of at least 186,252 voters. Hanke had predicted a Kerry would receive 52 to 53 percent of the vote. Stark County didn't get it right because it has been hit harder than most economically. It has lost the headquarters of the Hoover Co., one of its foundation companies. It faces the possible loss of more than 1,000 workers at the Timken Co.'s bearings plant
(though the company has added salaried positions). The jobs that have been generated tend to pay less than the ones that have been lost. So a significant number of Stark Countians voted on economic issues and in Ohio and across the country those voters tipped toward Kerry.
posted by Ohioblog: A Swing State Journal at 8:06 AM