Mitt aims swing at Pa., N.H.

ANXIOUS TO find the right combination of states to win the Electoral College, Mitt Romney’s campaign pushed Saturday into battlegrounds it had largely avoided.

The Republicans forged into the swing states of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, which the GOP had previously appeared resigned to ceding to President Obama.

Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate, ripped Obama’s energy policy before a crowd at the Pittsburgh airport. “Gas prices are more than double what they were four years ago — who knows what they’re going to be if he got four more years,” Ryan said. “Not only are these policies wrong, they . . . cost us jobs.”

The GOP also bought ad time on Boston TV stations, which broadcast into the state directly north. Although New Hampshire only awards four electoral votes, its importance is magnified if Romney can’t win Ohio. A loss in the Buckeye State, where Obama holds a slight lead over Romney, would mean the Republican would need to almost sweep the remaining swing states.

Obama is making his own push into those battlegrounds, announcing that he will launch a two-day, “around-the-clock campaign blitz” across six states starting Tuesday.

Air Force One will cover thousands of miles as the President holds events in Iowa, Colorado, Nevada, Florida, Virginia and Ohio — and makes a stop in Chicago to cast his own ballot early.

Both Obama and Romney remained holed up Saturday preparing for their last debate, to be held Monday on foreign policy.

They will square off in Florida, where Vice President Biden rallied supporters Saturday.

“With you, we can take Florida,” Biden said in St. Augustine. “If we take Florida, this election is over.”