With the American Election Day fast approaching, U.S. President Barack Obama resumes campaigning for re-election Thursday after spending several days heading the federal government's response to the Atlantic storm Sandy.

Mr. Obama will travel to the so-called “battleground states” of Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado, three states that could determine if he or Republican challenger Mitt Romney will gain the 270 electoral votes needed to win next Tuesday's election. The president suspended his campaigning Monday as Sandy devastated the coastal area of New Jersey and caused massive damage to New York City. Mr. Romney also spent several days rallying for donations for Sandy's victims.

Mr. Obama traveled to New Jersey Wednesday to get a first-hand look at the damage with Republican Governor Chris Christie, who praised the president's handling of the disaster, despite being a supporter of Mr. Romney.

Mr. Romney held a rally in Florida,Wednesday, his first official campaign event since Sandy made landfall, but avoided directly criticizing Mr. Obama.

The former Massachusetts governor will hold campaign rallies Thursday in Virginia, another crucial state.

The president and Mr. Romney are virtually tied nationally in recent voter opinion polls. But the Democratic incumbent holds a narrow lead in several of the battleground states.