This Tuesday two candidates will fight it out in Ohio to become the next Republican gubernatorial candidate in the so-called "swing state" that has long acted as a bellwether to presidential elections.

While Democrats have focused on breaking the 16-year Republican hold on the governor's mansion, a bitter campaign has ensued between Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro, widely regarded as the establishment’s choice, and Ohio’s Secretary of State, J. Kenneth Blackwell, a conservative Christian.

A University of Akron poll released earlier this month found that Blackwell drew 39 percent support among likely Republican voters compared to 32 percent for Petro.

Blackwell declined to be interviewed for this story, but NOW caught up with Petro last week at a campaign event in Columbus, Ohio.

"I don’t know that we want to have faith-based organizations that become political action committees," Petro told NOW.

Watch our Video interview with Jim Petro (5:18)