Free Republic

TAMPA, FL (WFLA) — Florida is known to be a battleground state for presidential elections, and Hillsborough County may be the determining factor. Hillsborough County’s majority vote has predicted the winner of the presidential election 19 out of the last 20 elections, according to political analysts. The county’s balance of registered democrats, republicans, and independents makes the county one to watch; likely why both the Trump and Clinton campaigns have made multiple stops to Tampa Bay in the past few weeks – with more visits this week.

The outcome of any individual election to the United States House, even in a highly partisan era where Congressional elections have a relatively strong correlation with presidential voting and national trends, is going to be determined based on a combination of local and national factors. One congressional district’s outcome may diverge significantly from another’s – even if they seem similar on the surface — based on the quality of the candidates, the demographics of the region and issues highly pertinent to the district but not to the nation at large. Any one race may or may not be representative. There...

NEW WATERFORD, Ohio – If Ohio is the nation's political weather vane (and you can make a good case that it is), then a two-election trend toward Democrats may be over. “The problems for Ohio are all created in Washington,” says Bill Watkins, owner of The Original Mario’s pizza shop on East Main Street here. “Bailouts, stimulus money, cap-and-trade have only hurt our economy, not enhanced it.” Earlier this month, President Obama and his policies took a hit in the Buckeye State. A Quinnipiac University poll showed the president’s job-approval rating dropped from 62 percent to 49 percent, and Ohio's...