Turner, who represents Cleveland in the state Senate, said she understands why the party cares so much about her race, calling Ohio “the swing state of swing states.”  “A secretary of state can make or break the environment of voting — they can use the tools at their disposal,” Turner said. 

More of the background:

Yet this year, national Democrats laying the groundwork for their 2016 presidential candidate are working to ensure Turner won’t be on her own as she tries to pull in millions of dollars needed to make up the seven-to-one cash disadvantage she faced against incumbent Jon Husted at the end of January

Turner’s race is one of a handful of secretary of state contests drawing attention from the Democratic National Committee and two outside groups sending money, organizing infrastructure and the vaunted digital expertise of President Barack Obama’s campaigns to boost state-level candidates.

The central issue for Democrats is voting laws — a matter that has become increasingly divisive in recent years amid a state-level push by Republican legislatures to make changes across the country. All involved, to varying degrees, point to what may be the ultimate goal of this year’s effort: Putting friendly faces in these key offices which administer elections in advance of the 2016 presidential election.