The Forum’s polling data has shown that in the Midwest (see here) the issues are driving voters’ attitudes, and no issue looms larger than jobs and economic performance.  The latest manifestation of this phenomenon is in the Ohio gubernatorial race, where incumbent Lieutenant Governor Strickland has asserted that Ohio is a leader among states in growth, an assertion that has been contested by challenger John Kasich.

The fact-checkers have arrived on the scene (see http://biggovernment.com) where Kenyon professor Will Melick points out that despite protestations to the contrary Ohio lags the rest of the country-and most of its neighboring states–in job growth and private sector income growth since 2007.

Nationally, the stakes surrounding the jobs report tomorrow are quite large.  Clearly they matter in each state as well.