In this July 23, 2012, photo Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, hosts a small-business roundtable during a campaign stop at Endural LLC in Costa Mesa, Calif. Stubbornly close and deeply divisive, the presidential race throttles into its last 100 days as an enormous clash over economic vision, likely to come down to fall debates, final unemployment numbers and fierce efforts to mobilize voters. It may seem like an election for the whole nation but only about eight states will decide who wins the White House. Polling shows the contest between President Barack Obama and Romney remains remarkably static across the country and in the key states, even as both men and their allies pour money into largely negative television advertising to sway opinions. The two candidates will intensify their time before voters in the weeks ahead, knowing much of the public will not truly start paying attention until after Labor Day. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)