In many ways, Ohio is a microcosm of the nation. Its many midsize cities, including Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, make for large urban and suburban populations, while the state is also home to some of the country's fastest-growing exurban counties. The political topography varies widely, from historically conservative Cincinnati, across the river from Kentucky, to a culturally conservative but impoverished swath of Appalachia in the southwest, to white-collar Columbus to blue-collar Cleveland. A switch of 60,000 Ohio votes would have handed the White House to Sen. John Kerry, so both parties will watch this race with an eye toward 2008.