Thousands attend North Canton Romney-Ryan rally

NORTH CANTON, Ohio - Thousands stood in a cold and sometimes rainy North Canton ball field Friday night to hear Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan.

"This is an election of consequence," Romney told the cheering crowd.  "This election will choose the course of our nation for some years to come."

It was Romney's fourth campaign stop in Ohio in two days, underscoring the importance of the Buckeye State in this election.

"You're the epicenter for choosing the future of this country,"  Ryan said.

Many in the crowd agreed. "I think if he can take Stark County, you've got a good shot at Ohio," said Merv Strine of North Canton. "Stark County's working people, middle class people.  If  they will elect him, the rest of the state will follow suit."

The candidates were joined at the rally by the Oak Ridge Boys and actress Patricia Heaton, a native of northeast Ohio.

"The only thing tougher than being a conservative in Hollywood is being a Cleveland Browns fan," Heaton joked.