Conventional wisdom says the Republicans have to turn out voters in rural counties and the suburbs of big cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati, to counter the lopsided majorities that Obama will pile up within city limits.

FORBES: Military Interests May Sway Vote In Ohio, A Key State For Republicans

However, while the cities may be internally efficient, the problem doesn't just lie in the stuff that gets consumed within city limits.

CNN: All About: Cities and energy consumption

In Pittsburgh, the cradle of the American energy industry in the 19th century, banned new drilling projects within city limits in 2010, but the state is challenging the authority of cities to issue such bans.

WSJ: As energy boom nears cities, a backlash grows