Just one day before voters go to the polls, the presidential campaigns are still sparring over the critical battleground of Ohio.
Rob Portman, Ohio's Republican Senator and a top surrogate for Mitt Romney, on Monday emphasized that Ohio's economy is not where it should be, even though the unemployment rate is lower than the national average.
“Seven percent is not doing okay,” Portman said on CNN’s Starting Point. “People don’t feel good about the economy… We’re glad our unemployment numbers are about a point below the national average, but we don’t think it’s good enough.”
The Obama campaign pushed back, pointing out that the president has maintained a steady lead in the Buckeye State due to the comparatively strong recovery there and the president’s role in the auto industry rescue.
“All paths go through Ohio for Mitt Romney, and we've had a solid lead there for some time,” Obama’s Deputy Campaign Manager, Stephanie Cutter, said on the same show. “The fact is, that the Ohio economy has been recovering at a faster rate than many other states because of the actions the president has taken on the auto industry.”
She added, however, that the Obama campaign agrees with Portman that “we’re not where we need to be.”
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