Obama, Romney to woo voters in duelling Ohio events

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney are to hold duelling events Tuesday in the crucial swing state of Ohio, as the state emerges as a must win for both of them if they want to prevail in November's election. Obama, fresh off from a fundraising swing in California, will be speaking at a campaign rally in the afternoon at Ohio State University in Columbus, urging young voters to register and cast ballots as the day marks the last day of the state's voter registration. Romney, meanwhile, will hold a campaign rally at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and he will hold three more events in the state on Wednesday, campaigning alongside New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a top campaign surrogate. The events are an unusual burst of public events for the Romney campaign, after polls declared him winner in the first presidential debate last Wednesday, while bumping his approval numbers even with or past Obama. According to a Gallup poll released Monday, Romney is tied with Obama in public support, each with 47 percent voters'backing. A Pew survey released later Monday, however, puts Romney four points ahead of Obama, with 49 percent of voters' support against Obama's 45 percent. While catching up, the Romney camp is under mounting pressure to do better in Ohio, a swing state no Republican president has won the election without. Many analysts say its 18 electoral votes can perhaps decide which way the election goes. The Romney campaign has let much of Obama's attacks unanswered for the better part of last month here, either in advertising as well as visits by Obama himself. The president led Romney in Ohio with 52 percent to 44 percent in a poll conducted late September, but the situation can easily change after the incumbent's lackluster performance in the debate.