By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

David Whaley and Emily Ball of downtown work on a Kerry campaign sign at the Sycamore Place Apartments community room Tuesday evening. In the background is Joe Zimmer of Monfort Heights. The Cincinnati Enquirer/CRAIG RUTTLE

Presidential hopeful John Kerry, riding a wave of primary wins, will stress the need for jobs in two Ohio stops today - his first trip here in more than a year.

The state has lost 264,700 jobs since President Bush took office, the Kerry campaign said Monday, while the state's richest residents have benefited most from his tax cuts.

The Massachusetts senator's visit comes less than two weeks before Ohio's March 2 primary. However, his focus is shifting from the primary opponents he's leaving in the dust to November's main event.

Two Ohio mayors who back Kerry - Cincinnati's Charlie Luken and Toledo's Jack Ford - laid the groundwork for the campaign here in a conference call Tuesday with national and statewide media.

"The job-loss issue, in my opinion, is what's going to cut the deepest in Ohio and turn the tide for John Kerry," Luken said.

Kerry will talk to laid-off workers at noon today in Dayton, followed by an evening rally in Columbus.

About 30 people gathered in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday to watch the Wisconsin primary results come in and make signs to take to a Columbus rally today.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com