Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Logo

Romney to discuss economy at N.C. factory | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Special Sections
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Local News
    • Photos
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Job Spotlight
    • Georgia
    • Business
    • Nation/World
    • Lottery
    • Sports
    • Alabama
    • Auburn
    • Braves
    • Columbus State University
    • Cottonmouths
    • Falcons
    • Hawks
    • High Schools
    • UGA
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Valley Preps
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • ToDo
    • Living
    • Dining
    • Celebrations
    • Outdoors
    • Faith
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Tim Chitwood
    • Richard Hyatt
    • Ledger Inquirer
    • Valley Preps
    • Chuck Williams
    • Dimon Kendrick-Holmes
    • Alva James-Johnson
    • Natalia Naman Temesgen
    • Chris Johnson
    • Opinion
    • Forum
    • Letters
    • Dusty Nix
    • Sound Off
  • Obituaries
  • Readers' Choice

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Politics & Government

Romney to discuss economy at N.C. factory

Jim Morrill - The Charlotte Observer

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 11, 2012 07:15 AM

At a Charlotte fundraiser last month, businessman Frank Dowd IV made Republican Mitt Romney an offer: If the campaign ever needed an event site, he’d happily offer his factory floor.

Now Romney’s taking him up on it.

The Republican presidential candidate is expected to talk about the economy Friday afternoon at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, a company owned by the Dowd family for 111 years and one of the nation’s largest producers of residential and commercial pipes and fittings.

It will be the former Massachusetts governor’s second visit to Charlotte in less than a month, and comes as he ramps up operations in what’s expected to be a battleground state this fall.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

On Thursday, Romney found himself in the unusual position of apologizing for a high school prank, detailed in the Washington Post, that some characterized as bullying. In high school, Romney said in an interview, “I did some dumb things.”

For a campaign that has tried to focus on the economy, the revelation threatened to overshadow some good news: A new Gallup Poll showed voters believe Romney would do a better job handling the economy than President Barack Obama.

Sixty-one percent of voters said Romney would do a good or very good job of handling the economy compared with 52 percent who said Obama would.

“President Obama can’t run on his record because the promises he made in 2008 haven’t come to fruition,” said Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei.

North Carolina’s unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in March. Only three states and the District of Columbia had higher rates.

But Obama supporters point to more positive numbers.

In the past 25 months, N.C. employers have created 108,500 new jobs statewide and 38,600 in the Charlotte area.

“President Obama has a proven record of moving this country forward by creating jobs, rescuing the auto industry and ensuring everyone does their fair share and plays by the same rules,” said Cameron French, N.C. spokesman for Obama for America.

“Gov. Romney has presented nothing to the people of North Carolina but a familiar economic scheme of more budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy.”

Romney’s campaign is just getting geared up in North Carolina, a state where he won 66 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s presidential primary over a handful of candidates, only one of whom, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, is still in the race. A state director just started earlier this week.

By contrast, Obama’s campaign has opened 15 offices across North Carolina. Operatives have been in the state since 2008.

“People aren’t better off than they were four years ago,” Pompei said. “So to make up for that, they would rather focus on how many field offices they have in the state.”

Obama supporters point out that the president won more votes Tuesday than Romney as well as a higher percentage.

Obama won 759,000 votes to Romney’s 635,000. Obama got 79 percent of the Democratic vote.

But his only opponent? “No Preference.”

  Comments  

Videos

Hey Columbus! Here’s how you can contact your mayor and city councilors

Local food pantry continues to help federal employees affected by recent government shutdown

View More Video

Trending Stories

Man dies of gunshot more than week after shooting on Parkchester Drive, coroner says

February 16, 2019 11:09 AM

Letters to the Editor for Sunday, February 17, 2019

February 17, 2019 09:00 AM

Miss Georgia will remain in Columbus and celebrate 75 years with the 2019 competition, mayor said

February 16, 2019 12:45 PM

After 11 years and $1.5 million, there is no hope for Water Witch at Naval Museum

February 17, 2019 03:23 PM

Suspect in killing of 4 hostages during standoff has died

February 17, 2019 06:56 PM

Read Next

DC’s many prankster activists turn anger into street theater

Nation & World

DC’s many prankster activists turn anger into street theater

By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 18, 2019 07:41 AM

From fake street signs to Robert Mueller-themed ice cream trucks, activists in the nation's capital have honed a particular brand of performative prankster-style protest.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Israeli leaders’ Nazi remarks scuttle summit with Europeans

Nation & World

Israeli leaders’ Nazi remarks scuttle summit with Europeans

February 18, 2019 07:39 AM
Former head of Alternative for Germany on trial for perjury

Nation & World

Former head of Alternative for Germany on trial for perjury

February 18, 2019 07:37 AM
Abe mum on Trump’s claim of nomination for Nobel Peace Prize

Nation & World

Abe mum on Trump’s claim of nomination for Nobel Peace Prize

February 18, 2019 07:35 AM
Zimbabwe opposition official convicted of false declaration

Nation & World

Zimbabwe opposition official convicted of false declaration

February 18, 2019 07:35 AM
Australia blames ‘state actor’ for hacking political parties

Technology

Australia blames ‘state actor’ for hacking political parties

February 18, 2019 07:31 AM
Saudi official fires back after Iran blames attack on Riyadh

Nation & World

Saudi official fires back after Iran blames attack on Riyadh

February 18, 2019 07:31 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Digital Solutions
  • Niche Solutions
  • Print Solutions
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story