Counties To Watch: Florida, Virginia, Ohio

There are dozens of way to skin a state on election night, but only some of the data is relevant.  What's the largest county in a state by population? What was the Democratic margin there? (These large counties are almost always won by the Democrats).  Who won the country in the 2008 Democratic primary?  What party represents them in Congress?  What happened in 2004?  By what margin?  And what's the voting history (the past four presidential elections)?

Here's a cheat sheet for Florida, Virginia and Ohio.

Tomorrow: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada and Colorado.

--------clip------------------

F L O R I D A

Largest county: Miami Dade: HRC + 20 in the primary, Kerry + 6 in '04.

Hillsborough -- Tampa (2 GOPers, 1 Dem in Congress)

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney  + 9
General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle 

 
Orange County - Orlando (3 GOPers, 1 Dem In Congress)

General '04 -- Kerry/Edwards + 3
General '00 -- Gore/Lieberman
General '96 -- Dole/Kemp
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle 

Osceola County (3 Gopers)

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney  + 5.4%
General '00 - Gore/Lieberman
General '96 - Clinton/Gore
General '92 - Bush/Quayle

 
Pinellas County - Clearwater  (2 GOP)

General '04 - Bush/Cheney  Bush + < 1%.
General '00 -  Gore/Leiberman
General '96 - Clinton/Gore
General '92 - Clinton/Gore

V I R G I N I A

Largest County: Fairfax  (2004: Kerry+25)

Henrico County - Richmond Suburbs (1 GOP, 1 Dem)

General '06: Allen
General '05: Kaine
General '04: Bush/Cheney (+12)
General '00: Bush/Cheney
General '96: Dole/Kemp

Loudon County -- NOVA (1 GOP)

General '06: Webb
General '05: Kaine
General '04: Bush/Cheney   (+12)
General '00: Bush/Cheney
General '96: Dole/Kemp

Prince William County -- NOVA (3 GOP)
 

General '06: Webb
General '05: Kaine
General '04: Bush/Cheney (+9)
General '00: Bush/Cheney
General '96: Dole/Kemp
 

City of Chesapeake - Hampton Roads (1 GOP)

 

General '06: Allen
General '05: Kaine
General '04: Bush/Cheney  (+15)
General '00: Bush/Cheney
General '96: Dole/Kemp

City of Virginia Beach - Hampton Roads (1 GOP)

General '06: Allen
General '05: Kaine
General '04: Bush/Cheney (+19)
General '00: Bush/Cheney
General '96: Dole/Kemp
 

O H I O

Largest county: Cuyahoga (Obama + 8 in the primary, Kerry + 24 in 2004.)

Hamilton County -- Cincinnati  (2 GOP)

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney (+5.3)  (425,025)
General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Dole/Kemp
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle
 

Lake County--Cleveland suburbs (1 GOP)

 

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney (+3)   (121,814)
General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle 

Franklin County--Columbus (3 GOP)

General '04 --Kerry /Edwards (+8)
General '00 -- Gore/Lieberman
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle 

 

Stark County--Canton (1 GOP)

General '04 -- Kerry/Edwards (+2)

General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Clinton/Gore 

Lawrence County  (1 Dem)

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney  (+11.5)
General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Clinton/Gore 

 
Ross County (1 D, 1 R)

General '04 -- Bush/Cheney (+10)
General '00 -- Bush/Cheney
General '96 -- Clinton/Gore
General '92 -- Bush/Quayle