States' woes could drag Dems down

Politico reports:

A new government report out Friday showed the economy shrinking less than expected last quarter — raising hopes that the recession might end soon.

But when the recovery does arrive, it won’t visit every state at the same time. And that's bad news for Democrats, because some of the states that will struggle most on the climb-out are the ones they'll need most in 2010 and beyond.

And while President Barack Obama inherited a financial crisis from his predecessor, voters tend to blame the party in power sooner or later. For proof, look no further than the Ohio, a crucial swing state that's been among the hardest hit by the recession. The most recent Quinnipiac Poll there put Obama's approval rating at 49 percent —a 13-point drop from May and the lowest number registered anywhere to date.

But it's not just the Buckeye State.

The Democratic party coalition of more and more government will be tested.