Tagged: Mitt Romney

In a Bloomberg piece this morning, Michael C. Bender is reporting that, “Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign asked Florida Governor Rick Scott to tone down his statements heralding improvements in the state’s economy because they clash with the presumptive Republican nominee’s message that the nation is suffering under President Barack Obama, according to two people familiar with the matter.”

But Romney doesn’t just have a Florida messaging “problem.” Last month, Rick Pluta, co-host of It’s Just Politics, and I took a look at the same problem that the Romney campaign is having with Republican Governor Rick Snyder and Michigan’s improving economy.

During a visit to Michigan in May, Romney said, “These last few years have been hard on the people in Lansing, and frankly, they've been hard on the people of America.” This message didn’t quite mesh with Governor Snyder’s statement that, “if you look at where we're at, we’re the comeback state in the United States today.”

Every Wednesday, we speak with Michigan Radio's political analyst Jack Lessenberry about what's going on in state politics. On tap for this week: Mitt Romney campaigns in Michigan, the debate over the word "vagina" continues at the state Capitol and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing says he'd like to rid the city of its top lawyer.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wraps up a day-long campaign swing through Michigan tonight with a rally at the Holland State Park on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Romney began the day in Frankenmuth, where he went on the attack against President Obama on the state of the economy, the new health care law, and energy policy.

“He may want to make things better. He just doesn’t know how to do to it," said Romney of Obama. "I think in order to create jobs in the private sector, it helps to have had a job in the private sector and I have.”

Romney acknowledged Michigan’s economic recovery and said he would do the same for the rest of the country if he wins the election. He opposed federal aid for the Detroit auto companies that are still the dominant force in the state’s economy.

Romney says he can be the first Republican nominee in 24 years to win Michigan.

“It is essential for America to grab that torch and hold it high," he said. "We’re that shining city on a hill. We’re going to do it with your help. I’m going to win Michigan with your help. We’re going to take back the White House. We’re going to get America on track and keep it the hope of the Earth.”

Romney was born in Detroit and is the son of former Governor George Romney.

Protesters also showed up at the Romney campaign stops but were kept at a distance. Democrats sponsored their own bus tour of the state yesterday.

"If you listen to a Mitt Romney speech, you’ll hear almost nothing about his plans, almost nothing about his time as governor of Massachusetts, and almost all about distorting the President’s record," said Brad Woodhouse of the Democratic National Committee. 

From Frankenmuth, Romney went to DeWitt, Mich.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be in Michigan today to wind up a tour of battleground states. The states were all won by President Obama four years ago, and Republicans need to flip one or more of them to win the White House.

Republicans like their chances in Michigan. Romney and his wife were both born here. His father served as governor. Some recent polls suggest the state’s a toss-up.

But no Republican presidential nominee has won the state since 1988, and Romney opposed much of the auto bailout that’s credited with leading the state’s economic recovery.

So Democrats sponsored their own bus tour with stops not far from where Romney will appear.

“One of the things we wanted to do is greet Mitt Romney with some headlines about what we think his policies will do to Michigan, and so we wanted to get out ahead of him," says Brad Woodhouse of the Democratic National Committee.

The liberal group MoveOn.org plans have protesters waiting for Romney at each stop in his tour, which will wind up with a rally near Holland on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Romney to wrap up Battleground Bus Tour in Michigan

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is on a tour of half a dozen battleground states that winds up tomorrow in Michigan. Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta reports:

Romney will make three campaign stops and attend a pair of fundraisers.  Matt Frendeway is with the Michigan Republican Party.  He says the swing through Michigan is a signal that Romney will make a strong play for Michigan and its 16 electoral votes.

"He’s going to come to Michigan and talk to folks who are struggling under President Obama’s economy, under his failed policies. He’s going to be visiting small towns and talking to folks about the difficulties they’ve faced, the 400,000 Michiganders here who are still out of work, looking for work, looking for jobs."

Democrats have tried to make an issue of Romney’s opposition to federal loans to GM and Chrysler. But two recent polls show the race for Michigan’s 16 electoral votes is tightening.    
   
Rich Robinson tracks political spending for the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. He says Romney appears to be benefiting from advertising by independent groups attacking the president’s job performance.

"They’re not explicitly saying, ‘Don’t vote for this guy,’ but the effect of what they’re doing is pretty obvious."

The Republican presidential nominee last won Michigan in 1988.