The race in Ohio is likely to mirror that of Michigan, another Rust Belt state where the economy is the main issue. Romney and Santorum have spent the past week squaring off over who is more conservative.
The outcome of the races in Arizona, where Romney leads in polls, and Michigan, where surveys show a closer race, will dictate how the two compete for the votes of Ohio Republicans.
From that state, Romney and Santorum were headed to different areas of the country to try to pick up delegates.
Romney planned a Thursday trip to North Dakota before bolting to a fundraiser in the Seattle area. His Western swing would also put him within range of Idaho, should he choose to campaign there.
Santorum, meanwhile, was eyeing the South. He's advertising in Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee, where he is counting on his social conservative credentials appealing to Republicans in the Bible Belt.
While Romney has refrained from running ads in those states, the pro-Romney Restore Our Future is heavily invested in advertising attacking Santorum in all three states, as well as in Mississippi and Alabama, other Super Tuesday states. The so-called "super PAC" was spending more money on advertising than any other entity in March 6 states.
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Associated Press writer Ken Thomas in Cumming, Ga., contributed to this report.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Reader Comments Read all comments (1)
John of NY 8:20AM February 27, 2012