Scarborough: Win in Ohio Would Guarantee Victory for Romney

While the presidential election is too close to call at this point, if Republican Mitt Romney wins Ohio, he will capture the election, says Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show.

Until the first presidential debate he expected a slim victory for President Barack Obama. Then came the president’s dismal performance Oct. 3. Ever since then, “I am the first to admit I have no idea how this all will turn out,” Scarborough writes on Politico.

“But I do know this: Mitt Romney will win the presidency if he wins Ohio. That's because the Republican candidate is nailing down the Southern swing states that he has to win. With Florida, North Carolina and Virginia moving his way, the battle now moves to the Midwest.”

So if Romney captures Ohio, that likely means he will win other swing states such as Nevada and Colorado, Scarborough says.

To be sure, he isn’t predicting victory for Romney in the Buckeye state. “Ohio is still a heavy lift for the GOP candidate and that means President Obama should still be considered a slight favorite to win re-election,” Scarborough says.

Real Clear Politics rates Ohio a toss-up. The latest major poll, conducted by Rasmussen Reports Oct. 23, shows Romney and Obama tied at 48 percent.