Battleground Virginia

President Barack Obama has visited the state of Virginia 16 times this year, almost twice a month. Virginia is one of nine states called battleground states, which are neither Republican nor Democratic, but will determine who will be the next president. Yashwant Raj reports.

President Barack Obama has visited the state of Virginia 16 times this year, almost twice a month.

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Virginia is one of nine states called battleground states, which are neither Republican nor Democratic, but will determine who will be the next president.

Obama's strategy of targeting the immigrant community in Virginia has turned it into a battleground state from what used to be a firmly Republican stronghold. (Most people coming to the US from outside are firmly Democratic.) Obama benefited from the strategy in 2008.

"I know I am one of the reasons why Virginia is now a battleground state," says Ram Venkat, a business consultant who moved into Loudon county from Chennai 10 years ago. He is confident Obama will win. "He has done his best."

Farah Syed, a second generation immigrant from Pakistan, says: "Team Romney has no idea what it's doing." And Romney himself , she adds, "comes across as a bully".

But Romney is not far behind. He was there Wednesday and his son Matt follows on Sunday.

Geoffrey Skelley, a political analyst at the University of Virginia, says: "The area is diverse in race, origin, etc, and thus is more politically liberal."