Romney plans Shelby County stop

SIDNEY, Ohio (WDTN) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will visit Shelby County Wednesday.

Romney will speak at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Sidney for a 6 p.m. event where he's expected to address the topics of agriculture and jobs, according to Shelby County GOP Chairman Christopher Gibbs.

Tickets will be required to attend the event, but they are free.

Those hoping to see Romney in person can pick up tickets at the GOP headquarters at 135 Wilkinson Avenue or online at www.romneyoh.com

2 NEWS was there as people lined up for tickets at the headquarters.

Among those getting tickets was longtime Sidney native John Laws.

The joke is that Laws once saw Abraham Lincoln speak.

He hasn't been around that long, but he has had a unique view of Shelby County's Presidential Campaign history.

"I played in the high school band when the President was running here a long time ago," Laws says.

That President John played for in high school was Harry Truman back in 1948.

This time around John won't have an instrument with him, but he will have two tickets to see Romney.

Right now the only red you'll find at the fairgrounds where Romney will speak is in the trees as they embark on their own fall campaign, but that will soon change Wednesday when the place is transformed into a Romney rally.

"We could hold the whole town if we could get that," Gibbs says. "I'd like to have a thousand people. It would be great."

Gibbs says he's been working the phones for months to get Romney to visit.

He says holding the rally amongst the barns is a perfect setting for Romney's expected topics of agriculture and jobs.

"Right here at the fairgrounds what more could you ask for?" says Gibbs.

In fact, on Monday you could find a horse grazing not far from where Romney will speak.

It's fitting considering the presidential race is entering the stretch run.

Along with Truman, President's Regan (1984) and George W. Bush (2004) made campaign stops in Sidney.

Laws has seen them all. The 81-year-old hopes to add one more President to the list.

"I feel great," Law's says. "God's been good to me. I just hope He blesses the country with Mitt Romney."