Now that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney appeared Friday at Lake Erie College in Painesville, will President Barack Obama visit Lake County before the Nov. 6 election?

The county traditionally has been a bellwether for how the state of Ohio votes in a presidential election.

It’s common knowledge that Ohio and its 18 electoral votes will play a key role in whether Romney or Obama wins the presidency for the next four years.

Many think the county leans Republican, but in 2008, Obama won Lake County, beating U.S. Sen. John McCain 60,155 to 59,142, or 49.5 percent to 48.6 percent. Obama also won Ohio, beating McCain 2,940,044 to 2,677,820, or 51.38 percent to 46.80 percent.

McCain visited Mentor High School in October 2008 while campaigning for president.

Obama did not make a stop in Lake County during the 2008 campaign.

So far in this presidential campaign cycle, Obama has come to Ohio numerous times, but he hasn’t made a stop in Lake, Geauga or Ashtabula counties.

In fact, he hasn’t visited any of those three counties as president.

But he’s been to Democratic-stronghold Cleveland and other eastern and western Cuyahoga County communities several times.

Lake County, with 230,000-plus residents, is the 11th largest county in population in Ohio.

Vice President Joe Biden appeared in Euclid in November 2011 to thank voters for supporting Issue 2, the measure to repeal Ohio Senate Bill 5.

Maybe Biden will appear in Lake County before the Nov. 6 election? Remember when John Edwards, who in 2004 was the running mate for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, stopped for a rally at Mentor High School?

President George W. Bush also liked to visit Lake County during his two terms as president, including visits to Lake Metroparks Farmpark and Lakeland Community College. Bush and Romney also were guests for fundraisers at the home of businessman Ed Crawford.

It’s not like it should be difficult for organizers to find places in the county for Obama to visit or rally.

Ask the people who remember when Bush stopped at Yours Truly Restaurant in Mentor, a presidential visit is something most people don’t forget.

Even if you disagree with or don’t like a president, it’s still nice and an honor for one to come to the place you call home.

I don’t know whether the nation’s leader will read this column, but I have a question for him anyway, because it doesn’t hurt to ask: Mr. President, will we see you in Lake County before the election?

Meet and greet

* The Geauga County Republican Women and Bill Patterson will host a meet and greet for local GOP candidates from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Orchard Hills Event Center on Caves Road behind Patterson’s Fruit Farm in Chester Township.

* Meet and Greet event for Lake County commissioner candidates David M. Fiebig and John Hamercheck, treasurer candidate Bob Patterson and Recorder Jason Wuliger at 7:15 Monday at the home of John and Therese Herubin in Mentor.

Fundies

* Susan McGuinness, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 61, hosts a fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hellriegel’s Inn in Painesville Township. See Lindsay Baruffa.

* Golf Outing and Dinner fundraiser for Nancy McArthur, candidate for Ohio Senate District 32, lunch at noon, tee-off at 1 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday at Fowlers Mill in Chester Township. See Jim Flaiz or Mike Petruziello.

* Heidi and Jamie Callender will host a fundraiser for Ohio House of Representative Republican candidates in Lake and Geauga counties, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at their home in Concord Township. See Heidi.

* Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts his Fall Classic and Clam Bake, 12:30 p.m. shotgun start, 5 p.m. dinner Oct. 1 at Lost Nation Municipal Golf Course in Willoughby. See Troy or Kip Molenaar.

* Werner Barthol, candidate for Lake County prosecutor, hosting Oktoberfest 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 5 at Lake Metroparks Painesville Township Park Community Center/Ballroom. See Kelly Barthol or James Falvey.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com 

Twitter: @newsheraldjah