Hello,
Thank you all for the help. My tractor is now starting fine. As there is no dealer around here, I bought this used, I wanted to see if I could get it going without having to buy a switch, the most likely culprit given all the posts here. If I couldn't replace it quickly, I wanted to try cleaning it. One poster suggested contact cleaner, and liquid film when clean. I bought the can of cleaner and ordered the liquid film from Grainger.
When I started spraying the cleaner in the key slot and wiggling the key in it, black residue came out the bottom and remained on the key. I cleaned the key off and re-applied the cleaner until the liquid was clear.
Next, the acid test, try the tractor. Now at this point the temperature as about 8 degrees with little sun on a high humidity day. I hear a click, and it turns over! It took a little longer to start in the cold, but start it did. Since then it has started every time I have gone out to clear snow. I consider this problem well and truly solved for now - maybe the switch will go bad in the future. When my liquid film comes in, I will be spraying that in the switch t try to protect it from the elements.
Thanks for all the help.