President Barack Obama has won the critical swing state of Ohio. President Obama’s victory in Ohio seals his re-election for another term in the White House.

All eyes have been on Ohio this election. The critical swing state is important for two reasons: 1. The state holds 18 electoral votes and 2. Partisan registration is nearly identical. Aside from its electoral votes and registration, the state is a remarkable predictor of the presidential election. Since 1944, Ohio has voted for the eventual president in each election except for 1960, when the state sided with Richard Nixon over John F. Kennedy, Jr.

This election, presidential campaigns have spent over $115 million collectively in the state with an additional $71 million spent by PACs. The two candidates have made over 60 visits to the state as they attempted to court Ohioans.

Many polls leading up to the election had the candidates locked in a dead heat with a slight advantage to President Obama. Despite the lead, the poll results were largely within the margin of error.

The swing state is also unique because it has a lower unemployment rate than the national average, partially due to the success of the auto bailout. Because the state is doing better on the whole than the rest of the country, candidates have spent time away from their jobs message to discussed coal and power. Alternative energy sources are another critical job market for Ohio residents, especially in the coal industry.

All eyes now shift to the remainder of the swing states that are continuing to tally votes and release their results. Stay tuned on IVN.us, as we will be updating results as the night progresses.