Romney revs up Motown voters

TAYLOR, Mich. — It's all about the economy here for Michigan native Mitt Romney, who's battling for his first major victory on the presidential campaign trail in the state's GOP primary Tuesday by promising to jump-start the troubled auto industry.

"I remember when I was growing up here, Detroit, Michigan, was the pride of America and the envy of the world. This was the place for great cars," Romney told several hundred Republicans gathered at a senior center in this Detroit suburb Sunday evening to hear about their party's candidates.

Now, though, the state is suffering the worst unemployment rate in the nation and, Romney said, needs a president who'll "actually do something to strengthen Michigan."

As the crowd chanted, "Mitt, Mitt, Mitt," he said he would unveil a detailed new economic plan today at the Detroit Economic Club focused on easing high health-care costs and other burdens on the auto industry.

That plan, along with a stop at the North American International Auto Show, are aimed at showing Michiganders that he's the candidate focused on improving their financial future.

"I'm going to fight to make sure we get every job we can," Romney said, promising he was "not going to rest until Michigan is back. I'll tell you that."

Romney is trying to make his own comeback here, after losing Iowa to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Jan. 3 and, five days later, New Hampshire to Arizona Sen. John McCain. Despite Romney's strong ties to Michigan — including a father, George Romney, who ran American Motors and served three terms as governor — polls show the race between Romney and McCain is just too close to call.

So Romney is reminding voters here of his Michigan roots, as well as his experience turning around troubled entities as a successful venture capitalist in Boston and as the head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He has said repeatedly, including on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, that McCain and other Washington politicians are too pessimistic about reviving Michigan's auto industry.

Rebecca Yawney, who came from a town outside of Ann Arbor to hear Romney speak Sunday, said she appreciated his attitude.

"We feel like Michigan really needs his optimism about our economy," Yawney said as she and her husband, Matt, kept an eye on their three young children during the senior center event. "I was just imagining McCain taking over the Olympics and saying, 'Well, it's all over. Everybody go home."'