Over the last two decades, the Midwest has emerged as a key presidential battleground and "the most purple region overall."

Why it matters: The region's importance likely factored in to former President Trump's choice of U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate and is guiding the Democratic veepstakes as well.

• It's an influence that will continue regardless of who is at the top of the Democratic ticket, Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, tells Axios.
• Look no further than the national party convention locations in Milwaukee and Chicago.

Zoom in: Vance, Trump's second Midwestern running mate, "will be strongly focused on … the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond," Trump wrote in his announcement. (Many political strategists group western Pennsylvania into the region.)

• In his RNC acceptance speech last week, Vance called out "all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio and every corner of our nation."

State of play: Trump is expected to win Ohio in November, but all eyes remain on our pivotal Senate race between Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno.

• The result could tip the balance of the chamber.
• Meanwhile, neighboring Democratic governors Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Andy Beshear of Kentucky are potential options as Harris' VP pick.

Flashback: In 2016, the "key votes" for Trump's victory were cast in the region, Michael Barone, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in 2017.

• Of the 100 electoral votes that flipped Republican between 2012 and 2016, 50 were in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa; 20 more were in Pennsylvania, he pointed out.

Yes, but: President Biden's 2020 wins in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were pivotal reversals, Coleman noted.

• And if a Democratic nominee can't win those three again, Coleman said he'd be "surprised" if they win the election.

The bottom line: Safe to say the Midwest is no longer being "ignored by political journalists and taken for granted by Democratic strategists," as Barone predicted after the 2016 election.

• The Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago on Aug. 19.

Keep reading

Ohioans purged from the voting rolls for inactivity have the chance to register again and cast a ballot in the November general election.

Catch up quick: Nearly 160,000 voters faced cancellation this summer, including 23,265 registered in Franklin County.

• The state regularly removes voters who died or moved away, but the system also flags those with four consecutive years of voting inactivity.
• Counties sent letters to flagged voters in May urging them to respond by July 22 or else face removal.

State of play: Use this online tool to check the status of your voter registration.

• If you are no longer registered — or never were — you can register online or by visiting a county board of elections office.
• The state website also allows you to quickly update your listed address.

What's next: Eligible voters must register by Oct. 7 to cast ballots in the November general election.

🧩 A proposed constitutional amendment to reform Ohio's gerrymandering process will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot statewide. (Ohio Capital Journal)

🥩 York Steak House on West Broad Street, the last of its kind still in operation, has been sold to the owner of Hilliard's Starliner Diner. (614 Magazine)

🎬 Local filmmakers are gearing up for the "48 Hour Film Project," a challenge to write, shoot and edit an entire movie in one weekend. (Columbus Underground)

🏫 A new state law requires automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in every Ohio school to help prevent cardiac arrest deaths. (WBNS-TV)

Our Franklin County Historical Marker Tour brings us to another pioneer cemetery, this one located in the outskirts of New Albany.

The marker: Smith's Burying Ground/Burnside Cemetery at 10881 Johnstown Road (Route 62).

Flashback: The cemetery was established when its namesake, Revolutionary War veteran John Smith, died in 1814.

• His extended family had traveled here by ox wagon the year before in a six-week, 600-mile journey from New Jersey.

The intrigue: The marker highlights two other notable burials, including Julia Landon, sister-in-law of New Albany co-founder Noble Landon.

• The other is John Clouse, born in the Netherlands in 1758.
• "When a boy he ran away from home and stole passage on a ship to America where he was sold for his passage. When the Revolution broke out, he was offered his freedom if he would serve in the army," the marker reads.

4️⃣7️⃣ down, 81 to go.

It's not often you see an FC Cincinnati fan cheer for a Crew player's success.

Yes, but: That's what can happen at an All-Star exhibition like the one hosted at Lower.com Field last night.

• Crew star Cucho Hernández scored the lone MLS goal in a 4-1 defeat to Liga MX in front of 20,931 spectators, a stadium record.
• Columbus head coach Wilfried Nancy coached the MLS squad, while Crew players Diego Rossi, Darlington Nagbe, Rudy Camacho and Steven Moreira also saw action.