Indianapolis - When Barack Obama took the stage Wednesday afternoon at the Indiana State Fairgrounds more than 500 people stood waiting for him, sinking in the mud below their feet.
The misty, saturated air also reached the thousands of people in the grandstands hanging on the Illinois senator's every word.
To Obama and his campaign the conditions were far from ideal, but to the potential Indiana voters they were symbolic.
With 26 days remaining until Election Day the most recent Indiana CNN/Time Magazine poll has Obama behind John McCain by five points - 51 percent to 46 percent. But, Obama's message in the Hoosier state remained the same since the Democratic primary: As long as economic times are murky and unclear then Obama has a chance of turning Indiana blue.
"I promise you - we will win Indiana, we will win this election, and then you and I - together - will change this country and change the world," Obama said.
Indiana's swing state status isn't isolated to the Obama campaign. Republican Secretary of State Todd Rodkita said in early September that McCain's campaign should pay attention.
"They have a fight here in Indiana, and it is real," Rodkita said.
McCain took notice Oct. 3 when he pulled out of Michigan, a once contested battleground state.
According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, the McCain campaign and the Republican Party spent more than $6 million on TV ads between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Indiana GOP officials are hoping to get part of that money. The Obama campaign outspent the Republicans in Indiana $614,000 to $179,000 from Sept. 28 through Oct.4, according to the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project.
Indiana has not voted Democrat since Lyndon Johnson took the state in 1964. In 2004, President Bush beat Democratic nominee John Kerry 59 percent to 39 percent.
Democrat Rep. Andre Carson, who spoke at Wednesday's event, said Indiana's swing state status is a reality.
"Sen. Obama, Jill Long Thompson, Linda Pence and myself have all seen what might happen this historic year," Carson said. "[Indiana] can turn blue with enough support."
In his speech, Obama said at the second presidential debate the previous night McCain spoke more about failed economic policies.
"In last night's debate, John McCain and I each had the chance to make the case for change - to talk about what we would do differently from the last eight years when it comes to lifting our middle class, growing our economy and restoring our prosperity. But all we heard from Sen. McCain was more of the same Bush economics that led us to this point."
Obama said more needed to be done with the economy, despite Congress passing the $700 billion rescue plan Oct. 1.
"Now we need to pass a rescue plan for the middle class that will provide every family immediate relief to cope with rising food and gas prices, save one million jobs by rebuilding our schools and roads and help states and cities avoid budget cuts and tax increases," Obama said.
After the speech, Carson said the youth vote might be the defining factor behind Indiana.
"The youth vote is extremely important to the state," Carson said. "It's the most important aspect to help us move to the future."
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