Pennsylvania suddenly in play

In the last five days, Pennsylvanians have noted an increase in commercials, ads, phone calls, and signs promoting both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. This indicates that Pennsylvania, which was supposed to be a clear win for Obama, is not as secure as the President might have hoped.

In the past week, both campaigns have spent millions of dollars on the Keystone State.  According to Philly.com, over the last five days Romney and his supporters have spent over $5 million in the state. The campaign itself reserved more than $900,000 on advertising, while pro-Romney groups like Restore our Future, American Crossroads, and Americans for Job Security added another $4.4 million combined. The sudden interest in Pennsylvania prompted the Obama campaign to purchase $1.6 million of airtime through Election Day.

Some think that this is a ploy set up by Romney’s campaign to distract Obama and make him spend more money in a state that he has all but won, therefore taking away resources from other battleground swing states. Others say it was just a change of heart. Either way, Pennsylvania is now a state that could play a very critical part in the 2012 Election.

Romney has been sending out many phone calls with recorded voice messages. One phone call was recorded by Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. It states: “America needs a leader, and that leader is Mitt Romney.” The Obama campaign countered, saying that Romney has no momentum in any of the battleground states. 

The campaigns have gotten creative with their messages in Pennsylvania, and Romney has even created ads to be shown at the gas pumps. The most recent gas-pump ad, shown on the flat screen TVs at the pumps, show the 2009 price of $1.85 per gallon along with today’s price of $3.69.

The campaign trail is almost at its end, and polls are close in Pennsylvania. President Obama still has a lead, but will all the advertising, telephone calls, and money put into the Keystone State give Governor Romney an edge over him? We’ll have to wait and find out. Polls have closed in the state, but the race is still "too early to call," according to NBC News.

—Kid Reporter Katelyn Barr