A handful of deeply purple states—including Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin—that have been transformed by the economic turmoil of recent years will be key to this year’s presidential election, according to an analysis done by The New York Times. President Obama officially kicked off his campaign with stops in two of those states, Ohio and Virginia, with rallies Saturday. All 9 of the states supported Obama in the 2008 election, but voters may take out their financial frustrations at the polls. Romney’s campaign will likely try to capitalize on these anxieties, taking aim at slow growth even in states that have seen an uptick in employment.
