Wadsworth, Ohio (CNN) – House Speaker John Boehner on Sunday said he was "very confident" that Mitt Romney will win his home state of Ohio on Tuesday, but acknowledged that the auto bailout has helped the president with some voters here.
"Romney is doing well in Ohio. You know, polls don't decide elections, voters do," the speaker said, though he later added "the auto bailout may help the president in Ohio a little."
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"But when you look at polling, it wouldn't indicate that that's had much of a factor at all," he continued. "Enthusiasm is on our side."
Boehner made his comments while sitting in a sports bar in Wadsworth, as customers watched the Cincinnati Bengals (Boehner's favorite team) battle the Denver Broncos. The Cleveland Browns also played Sunday, losing to the Baltimore Ravens.
Donning a red Romney campaign pullover, Boehner said it's possible for the GOP nominee to win the election without carrying the Buckeye State, but said "it gets complicated."
"The easiest path for victory for Mitt Romney is to win here in Ohio. And you know when you start to see Romney's campaign being competitive in places like Pennsylvania and Michigan and Wisconsin, it tells me - it reinforces I'll say, reinforces with me that he's doing well here," he said.
Boehner took a lunch break after a morning stop on his three-day bus tour and talked to CNN exclusively. After spending Saturday rallying supporters in Republican strongholds on the western edge of the state, he traveled to an area outside Cleveland, where he held a rally with GOP freshman Congressman Jim Renacci. Renacci is in a neck-and-neck battle in a newly drawn congressional district with Democratic Rep. Betty Sutton, and the race has drawn the most outside money of any House seat in the country.
READ MORE: Boehner expects temporary fix to avoid fiscal cliff
Hoping to win over some undecided voters in a more left-leaning part of the state, Boehner was heading to Niles, a city in the northeastern part of the state and home to many working class voters. While Boehner was campaigning here, Romney held a rally up the highway in Cleveland.
President Barack Obama, meanwhile, holds a rally in Cincinnati Sunday and Vice President Joe Biden makes three stops in the state.
Despite public polls showing Obama with a slight edge in this mother of all battleground states, Boehner insisted Romney has the momentum here. He also thinks that he is within striking distance in Pennsylvania, which up until recently Democrats said was solidly blue.
"I've been around Ohio, I've done this trip around Ohio for a lot of presidential races in the past, and I think Ohioans vote with their wallets. That's why I think Romney's going to win on Tuesday," he said.
Boehner said it's always a closely contested race in Ohio, but added he had never seen anything on the level of the intensity both sides are putting into the state in 2012.
Before returning to his home state for the weekend get-out-the-vote effort for the GOP presidential ticket, Boehner traveled across the country for House GOP candidates. He dismissed projections from congressional analysts that the GOP could lose some seats on election night, saying he was confident there would be at least as many Republicans in the House as there are now.
Pressed on whether his party could build on the record gains they made in the 2010 midterm, Boehner told CNN it "might."
"Listen it's too early to tell, we've got a lot of races and a margin of error, it's just going to be a matter of what the turnout looks like and how these races close," he said. "But I feel good about where our team is."
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Really? Like you expected him to say otherwise publicly?
Thank goodness most people in Ohio aren't as ignorant as John Boehner is.
Just goes to show that Boehner is as out of touch with people as Romney is.
When is someone going to tell this guy to get OFF THE CIGS! He looks lie 10 miles bad road, stinks, and just sounds awful.
glad your not wasting tax payer's time in congress. Please "quote yourself" come tuesday night!
oh ya cnn easily duped
Drunk again?
this man should step down now, he has the lowest approval of any speaker in history. he can not control the right wing nuts that want an extreme agenda, there has been no jobs bill pass for the only reason it is the only chance they have at winning back the white house ,,,, at the cost of americans starving and becoming homeless, as if there is only repb.;s in his district. he is a poor excuses for a rep. of america congress.
Real what is over? Ask Rocky Balboa "It isn't over until it is over" Last time I checked election is on Nov 6th. Democratic heavy samples only give a 1 or 2 percentage point lead for Obama that is not so promising for Obama/Biden.
If Ohio votes for Romney, Ohio deserves Romney. I don't think Ohio is that stupid or disloyal.
Off topic, just watched Piers Morgan. What a swine! CNN, you need to get your act together because you guys are falling apart like a cheap accordian.
Shut up and go back to crying, sissy boy.
OBAMA 2012!!
Only a fool would vote for 4 more failed years, lies, and coverups.
say its not so!!!
You feel good about where your teams are, eh John? Well, they both lost today.
As I peruse the CNN web site it strikes me at how obama leaning the stories/videos tend to be. That is not what I see in other organizations – or should I say most other organizations, and it's evident to me that it is skewed... I've been rather disappointed with CNN.
Bye bye Obama.
really whoud a thunk so
(a) I won't sob like Boehner if that happens
(b) If Romney wins Ohio, then Ohio will be doomed, because they will get what they wished and voted for!
Great. That's all we need now, Boehner sobbing like a schoolgirl on Wednesday morning.
On national television.
You'd have to be crazy to want 4 more years of increased job losses. There's higher unemployment today than when Obama took office. He said if he didn't get unemployment down significantly not to re-elect him. I'm gonna follow his advice.
have another drnk bonner
I don't think Boehner has been able to deliver much.......don't think his predictions mean much.
He must be feeling confident about the Romney-owned voting machines. Best democracy money can buy.
Romney will become next president!!!
Americans will defeat Barrack Hussein Obama!!!
Lefties and pro left medias like CNN will be disappointed! !!