Romney leads in battleground states

Romney leads in battleground states

Although president Barack Obama is opening up a lead on his Republican rival, Mitt Romney is leading with rural voters and it seems the race for the White House is being fought out in suburban America.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The latest national polls in the United States show president Barack Obama opening up a solid lead over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney and the number of undecided voters shrinking. 

But a survey of rural voters in battleground states gives Mr Romney a 14 point lead. 

With support for the president stronger in the cities, the race for the White House is now being fought out in suburban America, in key battleground states like Virginia. 

North America correspondent Craig McMurtrie visited Virginia as it played host to a Romney rally.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE, REPORTER: You don't see long lines like this every day in Fairfax, Virginia.

SPRUIKER: Every $20 you spend this morning, you get a free button or a free bumper sticker. Yes, I do take credit cards, ladies.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: On the outskirts of Washington DC, many people in this community have jobs in the US capital and commute. Gus Koukides is 37 years old, runs a construction business and is an enthusiastic Mitt Romney supporter.

GUS KOUKIDES, ROMNEY SUPPORTER: I don't demonise the guy who makes $25-30 million a year. I say "Bravo, how did you do that?" You know, that's what I say.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: Many of his customers hold down high-paying government jobs. Fairfax, Virginia, not only survived the economic meltdown, it's flourishing; with much lower employment than the rest of the country.

GUS KOUKIDES: We're in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia is kind of protected here, because, you know, we deal a lot with the government; you know, government is big. Everyone in these areas, you know, they have little a bit of money, they spend money. But out of Virginia? I'm glad I'm in Virginia.

SPRUIKER II: Anyone interested in signing up for getting a yard sign or bumper sticker or getting some contact information?

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: Virginia is also the beneficiary of big defence. Military bases and defence contractors account for an estimated 14 per cent of the state's economy.

CHARLES TRUE, ROMNEY SUPPORTER: I'm surprised to see all these people. It's kind of nice to see them.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: 67-year-old Charles True is an army veteran who signed up after the Cuban missile crisis. He's another Romney supporter and blames Barack Obama for big cuts to military spending.

CHARLES TRUE: I think our Constitution is just about to go down the hill if we don't do something about it.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: According to the published polls, the Romney campaign is behind in Virginia, as it is in other battleground states. But these are Mitt Romney's true believers.

ROMNEY SUPPORTER: I'm walking with Romney, with my shoes, red, white and blue. Patriotic!

JENNIFER PETTIS, ROMNEY SUPPORTER: In this state I've noticed a lot of Mitt Romney street signs around my house and I've only seen one Barack Obama one in my neighbourhood. So, I think it's looking pretty good for Romney in my area.

ANNOUNCER: Mitt Romney!

MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My goodness, what a Northern Virginian welcome, thank you! You know, Northern Virginia could well determine who the next president is, and I hope you make that decision to get me elected!

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: Four years ago Barack Obama became the first Democrat presidential candidate in 44 years to win here in the Old Dominion, and the Romney camp badly wants to win Virginia back. Even though it isn't reflected in opinion polls, campaign workers are convinced that the crowd size at community events like this in affluent north Virginia show more of their supporters will show up on election day. 

But some Republicans are worried that wavering voters, who typically don't show up at events like this, may have been turned off by recent Romney campaign stumbles - like the now-infamous secret video where he appeared to write-off 47 per cent of the US electorate. It's now a new Obama campaign attack ad.

[Except from Obama campaign commercial]

MITT ROMNEY: My job is not to worry about those people.

ANNOUNCER: Doesn't the president have to worry about everyone?

[End of excerpt]

STEPHEN FARNSWORTH, UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON: When you look at the Romney campaign, sometimes you get the impression they're not sure who Romney is. That there does seem to be a temptation on the part of Romney to try to square the circle; to say one thing one day to an audience and say another thing another day to the audience. And so the Romney campaign has really found it difficult to focus on a message, and they have been often distracted.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: The Republican candidate insists his campaign doesn't need an overhaul because it was his mistake. As for why he's now behind in the battlegrounds like Virginia, he blames false advertising. The campaigns have spent over $90 million on television and radio in the state so far.

MITT ROMNEY: He's trying to fool people into thinking that I think things I don't.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: Bowling Green, Virginia, is just down the road from Fairfax. It's a tiny town struggling to hang on. Two banks have closed, businesses on the main street have been shuttered. A new poll shows Mitt Romney holds a 14 point advantage among rural voters in the battleground states, but it's hard to see here. The local mayor - also the local undertaker - shudders at the thought of cutbacks to the nearby military base.

DAVID STORKE, BOWLING GREEN MAYOR: It's very scary. For instance, right now we're very close to getting a hotel built here in town - a nationally known chain hotel built. And the only reason that hotel is going to come here is because of Fort AP Hill.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: He says Bowling Green leans Republican but isn't that interested. The only excitement so far: eggs thrown at a pro-Obama sign an the main street.

DAVID STORKE: Someone threw a whole carton! Not just 12 eggs, but a whole Styrofoam carton.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: And as for what locals think of the Republican presidential candidate?

DAVID STORKE: Honestly I would have to say it's more enthusiasm on they want a change. If I had to be pushed for an opinion I would say more people are not as passionate about Mr Romney, but yet are passionate about we've got to have a change.

CRAIG MCMURTRIE: Mitt Romney faces a vulnerable president presiding over a poor economy, but he also has the highest unfavourability rating of any presidential challenger in recent memory. And many analysts believe if he can't win Virginia, he won't win the White House.