Sandy could alter race before presidential election – Richard Socarides and Will Cain weigh in

The presidential candidates resume campaigning in the calm after the storm this week.

Mitt Romney makes three stops in Florida today while President Obama resumes campaigning tomorrow with a stop in Wisconsin. It’s unclear what Sandy’s political implications may be and how much it will affect the outcome of the election.

Former Senior Adviser to President Clinton Richard Socarides and CNN Contributor Will Cain join Zoraida Sambolin and John Berman on “Early Start” to break down the race.

Cain doesn’t think the storm will have any major impact on the election. He thinks the candidates’ distance from campaigning due to Sandy, however, may have done some good.

“I think it’s a little bit of healthy hiatus,” Cain says. “To stop the constant cycle of ‘did you hear this gaffe?’ and ‘oh my gosh’ from the campaign trail allows you to step back for a moment and remember real life, and ask yourself ‘what’s really important?’ regarding this vote you’re gonna make a week from now.”

Socarides agrees. “I think the rhetoric is gonna be slightly less sharp,” Socarides says. “I think the candidates will have to adjust.”

Returning to the campaign trail, the swing states are still as important as ever. President Obama leads in Ohio, Florida and Virginia in a the latest Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS poll, but the race is still tight.

“Whatever happens there,” Cain says, “whatever happens in Ohio will have huge ramifications. We all know Ohio is the most important state in how this presidential election turns out.” Even though Obama holds a slight edge, as is expected from an incumbent president, “it’s gonna be a very close election by all signs,” Socarides says.