First, conservative leaders in Ohio, including Ken Blackwell and the president of the Ohio Christian Alliance, expressed their reservations about John McCain:

Family groups in Ohio outlined their doubts about the Arizona senator in a meeting with McCain’s advisers last weekend. They’re concerned about his record on abortion rights and on campaign finance laws that they believe limited their ability to criticize candidates who are pro-choice on abortion.

“There’s certainly a little reservation about Mr. McCain. I think the VP choice is going to be important,” said Chris Long, president of the Ohio Christian Alliance. “If they choose a conservative for the VP, that will help his campaign. It would go a long way of sending a positive message to evangelicals.”[...]

Republican Ken Blackwell, Ohio’s former secretary of state, coordinated Bush’s campaign in the state and built a strong ground game from Christian conservatives. He said he appreciates McCain’s bluntness but doesn’t think it’s helping him with the base.

“He has never identified with the evangelical and Christian movement and therefore he can, at times, misread or misinterpret certain activities in the political field of play or certain comments that are offered,” said Blackwell, now at the Family Research Council, a conservative think tank. “I personally would like for John to get to the point of comfort with some of our issues and policy positions, through understanding and genuine acceptance.”

Also, McCain will be in town this week:

COLUMBUS — Republican John McCain is returning to Ohio to mine for presidential support in two important lodes — undecided voters in Cincinnati and Hillary Clinton-friendly Trumbull County in the Mahoning Valley.

McCain also will raise money at fundraisers in Cincinnati on Thursday, June 26, and in Hunting Valley, a Cleveland suburb, on Friday, June 27.

One of those fundraisers in Cincinnati is where Rob Portman secured $100,000 for McCain:

Rob Portman single-handedly raised more than $100,000 for John McCain, which the presidential candidate will receive during a fundraiser in Cincinnati on Thursday night.[...]

The private fundraiser will be held at the home of American Financial Group co-president Carl Lindner. Lindner was formerly Mitt Romney’s Ohio finance co-chair.

But according to the Enquirer, major local Donors in Cincinnati are still “snubbing” McCain:

WASHINGTON – When it comes to rounding up money from Greater Cincinnati’s top Republican donors, John McCain is no George W. Bush.

These big donors – nicknamed “Rangers” or “Pioneers” for raising more than $200,000 or $100,000 for President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns – made Cincinnati a top destination for GOP fundraising.

But so far, they haven’t opened their checkbooks as much for McCain, the presumed GOP presidential nominee.

Of the 16 Bush “Rangers” and “Pioneers” who live in Greater Cincinnati, 10 contributed the maximum ($2,300 per person, per election cycle), or close to it, to former GOP contender Mitt Romney, totaling $22,600 for the former Massachusetts governor.

Rudy Giuliani , the former New York City mayor and GOP hopeful, raised $11,300 from five of them.

By comparison, only four top-tier donors contributed to McCain before Ohio’s March 4 primary, totaling $8,900.

“Certainly the very fact that many of the Rangers and Pioneers were supporting other candidates means that they are just now coming back to McCain,” said Herb Asher, an Ohio State University political science professor.

And the McCain campaign released this cool web ad: