A closer look at the nine swing states that will likely decide the presidential election - New York Daily News

A look at the nine swing states that will likely decide the presidential election.

OHIO

The most contested state on the battleground map. No Republican has won the White House without winning the Buckeye State. The auto industry bailout and an unemployment rate lower than the national average are helping Obama hold on — so far.
Obama: 47.6%
Romney: 45.7%

FLORIDA

The swing state with the most electoral votes — 29. Both campaigns are tailoring their ads to Latinos and seniors. Paul Ryan's plan to transform Medicare was supposed to scare off the elderly, but Romney holds a slight edge.
Obama: 46.6%
Romney: 48.4%

VIRGINIA
Obama won this Republican-leaning state in 2008 by relying on heavy turnout from African-Americans and young professionals. Team Romney has countered by wooing working-class women and veterans, and the race is a dead heat.
Obama: 48%
Romney: 48%

IOWA
Part of trio of Midwestern states — with Ohio and Wisconsin — that guarantees a second Obama term if the President can hang on to his narrow leads. Both campaigns here are courting "Walmart Moms" — working- or middle-class women who voted for Obama in 2008 but are now undecided.
Obama: 48.8%
Romney: 46.8%

WISCONSIN
This heavily union state has been reliably Democratic in recent elections, last going for a Republican during Ronald Reagan's 1984 landslide. Obama maintains narrow lead here, despite presence of Badger State native Ryan on GOP ticket.
Obama: 49.8%
Romney: 47.0%

COLORADO
Obama easily captured Colorado in 2008, winning wide support from Colorado's growing number of Latinos and young voters. But enthusiasm from those groups have lagged, allowing Romney — who is targeting veterans and older white voters — to take a lead in the polls.
Obama: 47.6%
Romney: 47.8%

NEVADA
Nevada seems fairly secure for Obama, despite an unemployment rate of 11.8%, 4 points above the national average. He defeated John McCain here by 12 points in 2008, largely on the support of the state's massive influx of Latino voters.
Obama: 49.0%
Romney:46.2%

NORTH CAROLINA
Traditionally conservative North Carolina went for Obama in 2008 thanks to support from young voters and African-Americans. Though Democrats held their convention in Charlotte, they have done little advertising here while Romney has maintained a consistent lead in the polls.
Obama: 44.7%
Romney: 50.3%

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mitt Romney keeps a vacation home here and his exploits as Massachusetts governor were extensively covered on New Hampshire newscasts. Unlike its New England neighbors, New Hampshire sometimes goes Republican — but Romney still trails.
Obama: 48.6%
Romney: 43.6%
(Note: All poll numbers are averages of recent public polls, as calculated by realclearpolitics.com)