Romney fans hone Mich. attack plan

All eyes may be on the upcoming Florida primary, but another battleground state was the focus Friday of equally intense political maneuvering.

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's supporters said the visit by President Barack Obama to the University of Michigan indicates a concern by his campaign that Michigan — which has supported the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988 — could be up for grabs.

"They are afraid of Mitt Romney as the (potential) Republican nominee," Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said.

Calling Obama's tenure a "failed presidency," Schuette said Michigan residents have suffered greatly in the past decade — both before Obama's win in 2008 and afterward.

"That's why they're here, they see Michigan on the edge," said Schuette, Romney's Michigan campaign chairman.

Schuette and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, talked with reporters after Obama's visit, labeling Romney a Republican "jobs candidate" who can woo Michigan voters.

They contrasted Romney with what they called Obama's weak response to the recession. "He's done nothing to help us get out of it," Huizenga said.

The Romney campaign took out half-page ads in The Detroit News and Free Press's Friday editions blasting Obama's economic policies and lack of job growth.

Pete Hoekstra, the former U.S. representative from Holland who is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Debbie Stabenow, said Obama's initiatives are another example of undue federal involvement.

"It seems competitive grants for education are his latest taxpayer-funded scheme to control states," Hoekstra said in a statement. "His proposal is simply a backdoor way for the administration to become the puppet master of our local schools."

mwilkinson@detnews.com

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