Right Change: Can Romney Win Michigan?

Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney is in the middle of a five-day bus trip through Rust-Belt battleground states and Tuesday’s stop finds him in his hometown state of Michigan. Romney was born and raised in Michigan, the son of former state governor, George Romney. In 1968, the elder Romney tried unsuccessfully to win the Republican presidential nomination. The younger hopes this state can help propel him to the White House in the fall of 2012. “I think Michigan’s a state I can win,” said the GOP presidential candidate. “If I win Michigan, then I become the president, and that would mean a lot to me personally.”

Recent polls show Romney pulling even with President Barack Obama in this crucial swing state. The President carried Michigan convincingly in 2008. Romney is slated to visit the towns of Frankenmuth, Dewitt and Holland as a part of his “Every Town Counts” Tour . No Republican has won Michigan since 1988, but Republicans are hopeful due to the family’s personal ties to the state. The Washington Post produced this video outlining reasons why the GOP may be able to swing the state to their side. In addition to the Romney roots, the Post points out John Kerry only won the state by 3 points in 2004 and Republicans have won recent elections for Congress and Governor.

The Romney campaign does not have Michigan on their top targets list – Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio fill those spots – but they do see a great opportunity here. “There’s another level of states that are all states Obama won last time,” said deputy campaign manager Katie Packer Gage. “And he won’t win if he doesn’t win them again.”

Can Romney overcome the strong Democratic base in Detroit and his opposition to the federal bailout of GM and Chrysler? “He’s going to acknowledge, as he has, that President Obama and he ultimately shared the same goal, which was to see the auto industry survive and thrive,” said Gage. “They just had different ways of going about it.”

The groundswell of support for Romney seems to be growing. We’ll see if this mini-tour and subsequent stops in these small Michigan towns will be enough to propel him to victory in the state. Will Romney be prophetic in his prediction of victory here means victory for the presidency? Tuesday may very well be a huge day for this campaign and this candidate.

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