WASHINGTON (AP) — When Hillary Clinton arrives in Ohio today, it will be her first appearance in the Midwestern battleground in a month.
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While Clinton was away, Republican rival Donald Trump showed strength in Ohio public opinion polls, buoyed by his appeal with the state’s white working-class voters.
In another blow for Democrats, party groups have cut funding for Senate candidate Ted Strickland, the former Ohio governor who has struggled in a race that was once expected to be among the most competitive in the nation.
In previous election years, any sign of shakiness in Ohio would have a campaign on edge. But Democrats’ increasing reliance on minority voters to win presidential elections has opened new avenues to the White House for Clinton, and turned Ohio into a less essential state.
Basketball star and Ohio native LeBron James is endorsing Clinton for president.
James says Clinton is a “champion for children and their futures.” He also says Clinton is running on a message of “hope and unity” that is needed to address violence in black communities.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star cast a vote for Clinton as a way to build on the legacy of President Barack Obama.
James detailed his support for Clinton in an op-ed in Business Insider and the Akron Beacon Journal. The Akron, Ohio, native announced his support on the eve of Clinton’s visit to his hometown.