"Since 1904, the Ohio victor has won the presidency 25 out of 27 times"

-- John Kasich, Republican candidate for governor

Republican challenger John Kasich warns that if Democrat Ted Strickland is re-elected governor it could pave the way for Barack Obama to take Ohio in 2012.



And given Ohio's track record for predicting the presidency, that could guarantee Obama's re-election, he says.





"Since 1904, the Ohio victor has won the presidency 25 out of 27 times," Kasich says on his website.

Kasich is correct that Ohio has picked the winner in all but two elections since 1904. Voters backed Republican New York Gov. Thomas Dewey (and his running mate, Ohio Gov. John Bricker) over Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. In 1960, voters favored Republican Vice President Richard Nixon over Sen. John F. Kennedy.

PolitiFact Ohio

did some checking to see just how much of a difference Ohio's vote has made over time, and if the gubernatorial elections signal anything about subsequent presidental votes.

You can see the rest of the story there. Then come back here to comment.