Romney finishes campaign with optimism

>>> good evening, and we can tell you it is almost over now, after a couple of years and a couple of billion, on the eve of decision 2012 , we are very close to knowing the first indications of how this race is going to break. heading into election day , by all accounts this election is a statistical dead heat , the latest national head to head has this as a 48-47 race, while state polls vary and while the battleground states call for a lot, you can tell how tight the race is by watching the two campaigns, positively barnstorming the battleground states , battling it out, based on the hope of converts here. all this, while the whole region of the country sits in the dark and watches the profound effects after the natural disaster . so we begin our election coverage here in democracy plaza in new york, with peter alexander traveling with the romney campaign in columbus, ohio.

>> reporter: good evening, to you, brian, the romney campaign has tacked on two last-minute stops for tomorrow, so after governor romney votes in his home- state of massachusetts , he will then fly out to thank volunteers, aides say, a rare move for any candidate on election day . mitt romney today marked the end of a long journey with an optimistic promise.

>> tomorrow, we begin a new tomorrow, tomorrow, we begin a better tomorrow , this nation is going to begin to change for the better tomorrow .

>> reporter: but with the polls showing the president hanging on to a slight advantage in the campaign's last precious hours, each moment is selected.

>> your voices are heard loud and clear, thank you.

>> reporter: this is to mark the conservative base.

>> let me tell you why he fell so short of what he promised. it is because he cared more about a liberal agenda than he did about repairing the economy.

>> i'm looking around to see if we have the beatles here or something.

>> reporter: since saturday, 13 events in several battleground states , including democratic-leaning pennsylvania, that romney advisers claim is now in play.

>> we're going to keep america the hope of the earth with your help, pennsylvania.

>> reporter: in the final stretch, a deliberate focus on bipartisanship, governor romney saying he could break the gridlock.

>> i'll be able to final democrats and republicans who care more about the country.

>> reporter: and often induced mistakes, the advisers are confident their argument has been made and heard. all that is left, they say is driving the supporters to the polls.

>> i need your vote, i need your work, walk with me, let's walk together, tomorrow is a new beginning.

>> reporter: and brian, even at this late hour, romney advisers remain very confident that they will win this election tomorrow. they dispute polls that show them trailing and cite strength of support among independents and a more enthusiastic base.

>> peter alexander , starting us off with the romney campaign, thank