The Hill's Justin Sink reports on the Romney's campaigns refocused efforts to attract disenchanted manufacturing workers in states like Ohio.
That new strategy will involve a renewed focus on China and trade policy — a particularly salient issue as both candidates travel extensively in the manufacturing-oriented state of Ohio this week. Obama has consistently held a small lead in polls of the Buckeye State, and no Republican has ever one the presidency without securing Ohio.
"I think it's clear that the message on China has resonated not only with the voters, but you can tell with the response from the Obama campaign," Gillespie said. "They went up with an ad in response to it on China and on top of that, the administration filed a case."
Gillespie was referencing a World Trade Organization case charging China with unfairly subsidizing automobile parts filed last week by the Obama administration. Romney had begun airing ads accusing Obama of being too lenient with China a few days before. The Romney adviser said there was "no doubt" that the issue was "particularly resonant in Ohio" — a statement further evidenced by the fact that Obama announced the trade case during a campaign stop in Cincinnati. ...
"We are talking about the economy and the need for more jobs, more take-home pay, and the Romney plan for a stronger middle class, and we've been talking about that for a long time, as we said," Gillespie said. "Part of that is trade."
