That's not a problem for many people in Illinois counties where conventional oil and gas drilling has been going on for over a century.

NPR: Scenic, Struggling S. Illinois Braces For Oil Rush

"Obama continues to maintain a 'home field advantage' in the southern Wisconsin counties that border Illinois, " Holland said.

CNN: Obama gaining in 5 battleground states, polls say

LaHood, 63, has represented 11 counties in central and western Illinois since entering Congress in 1994.

NPR: Solis, Kirk, LaHood Add To Obama's Diverse Team

If local debt is a problem for the local governments in Cook County, Illinois, it is a problem in all counties across the country.

FORBES: Cook County, Illinois Treasurer Warns U.S. Homeowners And Retirees Of Local Debt Hazards

Already, drillers have leased hundreds of thousands of acres throughout southern Illinois, including in scenic Johnson and Pope counties, which hasn't seen conventional drilling and where people aren't sure what to expect if a fracking rush becomes a reality.

NPR: Scenic, Struggling S. Illinois Braces For Oil Rush

Springfield, in central Illinois, got slammed with a record 17 inches of snow, and several central Indiana counties declared snow emergencies after getting hit with up to 8 inches of snow.

WSJ: Spring snowstorm hits central states, pushes east