GOP Presidential Candidates Stump In Michigan
DETROIT (WWJ) - Republican Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum both made stops in Michigan Thursday.
During a visit to the National Galvanizing plant in Monroe, the former Massachusetts governor and Michigan-native Romney talked about ways he would work to grow the private economy.
"I don't believe the President should step in and say, you know, we're gonna have a regulation here that says all federal work has to be done by unions," said Romney. "So I say, number one, we're gonna make it a level playing field and, number two, we're gonna have right to work where individuals, where workers, get to choose if they want to be a member of a union or not."
Romney also spoke about cutting federal spending and shrinking the size of government, saying we don't need dozens of different federal job training programs.
"Now we know that we want workforce training programs to break people into new skills as old industries pass away, but the idea of 47 different programs, with all the administrators and all the overhead, that would never exist in the private sector," he said.
Next, Romney attended a luncheon in Farmington Hills.
Meantime, Santorum addressed the Detroit Economic Club.
"Here in Michigan you've been through a lot of tough times, we all know that. And it's exciting to see the resurgence of the auto industry here," said Santorum. "But over the last four years Michigan's lost over 140,000 jobs."
Santorum said manufacturing is key to building a stronger economy. But when asked the federal rescue of auto industry, he said, "The government should not be involved in bailouts period. I think that's a lot more consistent position."
"Would the auto industry look different than it does today? Yes, it would be. Would it still be alive and well? I think it would be alive and equally well, if not better," Santorum said.
Santorum also touched on the issues of income inequality, homelessness, PDSD and other military and veteran affairs.
He moves on to an appearance in Novi Thursday night at the Suburban Collection Showplace on Grand River.
Meantime, latest poll shows Romney and Santorum neck-and-neck in Michigan. The poll, commissioned by the Detroit News and two TV stations, gives Santorum 34 percent and Romney 30 percent. Two previous polls gave Santorum a wider lead.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has support from 12 percent with 9 percent for Ron Paul and 12 percent undecided.
