The midwestern state of Wisconsin is one of several states opinion polls indicate are too close to call in the race for the White House.
No Republican presidential candidate has won the state in 20 years, but President Bush hopes to break that losing streak for his party. Both the campaigns of Mr. Bush and his Democratic challenger John Kerry have been flooding Wisconsin with political advertising.
The dairy state has a mixed political tradition, with a strong progressive streak. But it is also the state that elected Joseph McCarthy, a controversial Republican senator who led a fierce anti-Communist campaign in the 1950's. The state now has a popular Democratic governor and a strongly Republican legislature, making it unpredictable in the presidential race.
Voter turnout routinely runs higher in Wisconsin than the national average, and the state allows voters to register on election day. This should keep Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry fighting hard for its 10 electoral votes right up until November 2.