Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said he's confident about President Obama's chances in the Buckeye State, despite polls that show a slight tightening in the race after Obama's lackluster performance in the first presidential debate.

"The latest poll that I see has the president at 51 to 45 or 56 percent, and I'll take that," Strickland said during an ABC News/Yahoo News livestream show on Thursday. "Ohio's a closely contested state. It will be a very close election, but any time the president is over 50 percent, I'm a happy guy."

Tune in to ABCNews.com on Thursday for livestreaming coverage of the 2012 Vice Presidential Debate moderated by ABC's Martha Raddatz in Danville, Ky. Coverage kicks off with ABC News' live preview show at noon, and full debate coverage begins at 8 p.m.

Strickland, an Obama surrogate, said that the Ohio economy is recovering thanks to Obama's policies, which has helped boost the president in voters' minds.

"The president and this administration I think has been really good for Ohio," Strickland said. "We're back on track and Ohioans understand that."