President Barack Obama began a bus tour Thursday through the Rust Belt where only 20 months ago the Republicans won almost every key Senate and gubernatorial race. This year however, three Senate Democrats are nearing the November election as clear favorites in their races, having withstood the worst of the region’s tea party storm.

The standing of the three Senators is good news for President Obama in key states that will be crucial to earning enough votes to be reelected. Senators Debbie Stabenow in Michigan, Robert Casey in Pennsylvania and Sherrod Brown in Ohio have been able to maintain their approval ratings despite unease amongst voters about the sluggish economy and the overall apathy towards members of Congress.

On Thursday, Obama arrives in the region for his bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio and will have Brown and Casey with him campaigning for votes all the way from Toledo until Pittsburgh. It is a stark difference from just two years ago when virtually no Democratic incumbent wanted to be in the spotlight with Obama.

Many experts believe these same Democrats will be able to help Obama maintain votes, particularly Casey who endorsed Obama early in 2008. Casey is supported in northeastern, western and central Pennsylvania an area of resistance to Obama that continues to give Mitt Romney the GOP candidate hope of winning the state in an upset.

On the tour, Obama will highlight his recent gains in the manufacturing sector, the auto industry recovery in America hoping to appeal to many in the area who are unionized.