▁of ▁October ▁( around ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁financial ▁crisis ). ▁ ▁Fund ra ising ▁Ob ama ▁raised ▁$ 7 , 2 1 8 , 8 0 1 . ▁McC ain ▁raised ▁$ 5 , 6 8 2 , 8 3 9 . ▁ ▁Ad vert ising ▁and ▁vis its ▁A ▁major ▁swing ▁state , ▁Ob ama ▁spent ▁over ▁$ 2 8 ▁million ▁to ▁McC ain ' s ▁$ 2 4 ▁million . ▁The ▁Republican ▁ticket ▁visited ▁the ▁state ▁ 2 8 ▁times ▁to ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁ticket ' s ▁ 2 2 ▁times . ▁ ▁Analysis ▁Go ing ▁into ▁E lection ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁both ▁McC ain ▁and ▁Ob ama ▁knew ▁that ▁Ohio ▁was ▁a ▁cru cial ▁state . ▁Ear lier ▁in ▁the ▁primary ▁season , ▁Ohio ▁had ▁given ▁a ▁major ▁com eb ack ▁victory ▁to ▁Hill ary ▁Rod ham ▁Cl inton . ▁ ▁Both ▁candidates ▁campaign ed ▁heavily ▁throughout ▁the ▁state ▁in ▁hopes ▁for ▁winning ▁its ▁ 2 0 ▁elect oral ▁votes . ▁As ▁no ▁Republican ▁has ▁ever ▁won ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁without ▁winning ▁Ohio , ▁it ▁was ▁seen ▁in ▁particular ▁as ▁a ▁" must - win " ▁state ▁for ▁McC ain . ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ' s ▁narrow ▁wins ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁( by ▁ 3 . 5 0 % ▁against ▁Al ▁G ore ) ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁( 2 . 1 1 % ▁against ▁John ▁Ker ry ) ▁proved ▁critical ▁in ▁Bush ' s