Romney or Santorum? Ohio Voters Key To Republican Presidential Race

For the first time in her 74-year life as a Republican voter, Helen Hurst of Lorain County has known all along who she's supporting for president in 2012.

Hurst is for Mitt Romney, but her party doesn't share that certainty. It's led to a reality-show-like primary season starring Romney, Rick Santorum and a revolving cast of guest stars including Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich.

Now the show moves to Ohio, perhaps the most important Super Tuesday state voting March 6. Ohio is a key swing state and a decisive victory here on Tuesday bolsters the winning candidate's general election resume.

With Gingrich focused on the South and Paul looking to western caucus states for delegates, Romney and Santorum are the candidates putting the most energy into Ohio.

For Romney, an Ohio win gives him more momentum after his wins in Michigan and Arizona. A Santorum victory throws Romney's status as front runner in further doubt and serves to prolong an already stretched-out race.

Many local Republicans hope Tuesday's results -- 437 delegates are up for grabs, including 66 from Ohio -- finally push Republicans behind one candidate.

"I think all the coverage has heightened interest among Republicans, but I think they’ve had about enough of it," said Hurst, who chairs the Lorain County Republican Party. "After a while it hits the saturation point and they just want to get it done and move on to November."

Here's where things stand: Polls taken in Ohio earlier this week show , especially with men and those who identified as conservative or sympathetic to the Tea Party movement. Moderates favor Romney, according to the poll from the Quinnipiac University.

Despite the strong poll numbers, Santorum has some disadvantages. For one, he in the 6th, 9th and 13th congressional districts.

Another problem: Santorum is being outspent by Romney by a wide margin.

Political observers expect ad spending, both for television and radio spots, in Ohio to approach $5 million, with Romney and his allies spending most of it.

According to Politico, Romney and a Super PAC supporting him, Restore Our Future, has spent about $3.39 million on ads in Ohio, versus about $527,000 being spent by Rick Santorum and the Red White & Blue Fund, a pro-Santorum Super PAC. A Super PAC behind Gingrich is spending about $400,000.

In his advertising, Romney aims to undercut Santorum's strength with conservative voters by attempting to paint him as a Washington insider. Restore Our Future's ads are taking the same tact.

Traditional on-the-ground campaigning such as canvassing and direct mailings has been much less visible so far to the extent that RealClearPolitics has called Ohio's campaign a "phantom primary."

But while campaign troops may not be working the streets, the candidates are definitely working the stump here, to Ohio before Tuesday.

Santorum will be speaking in Eastlake Friday night at a Lincoln Day event for the Lake County Republican Party (Patch will have coverage of the event) and also attend an event in Bowling Green, which will also feature Gingrich. Romney will hold an event at Cleveland State University on Friday night, which will feature New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to the Plain Dealer. Romney, Santorum and Gingrich will also be in Wilmington, Ohio, on Saturday with Mike Huckabee taping his Fox News show "Huckabee."

Hurst said she has attended a number of political events with fellow Republicans in recent weeks and that voters' support remains.

"There are definitely different schools of thought, and I see qualities in most of them I can admire," she said. "I would say it could be fairly close."