Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (CNN) - Mitt Romney promised Thursday to win Pennsylvania in November, even as he lowered expectations for a victory here in the Republican primary later this month.
"As you know I want to win Pennsylvania in November," Romney said at a small rally held on the roof of a downtown Harrisburg office building. "I'm going to win Pennsylvania in November."
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As Romney put it, "the reason that's going to happen, by the way, is that the people of Pennsylvania have taken a good look at conservative leadership. They've seen your senator, Pat Toomey, they've seen your governor, they've seen that conservative leaders are the people who will help grow the middle class."
Toomey, a leading conservative voice in the Senate, has voiced support for Romney's presidential bid, while Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has remained neutral in the race.
Pennsylvania hasn't voted Republican in a presidential election since 1988, but he expressed confidence that he could pick up the state's 20 electoral votes this fall.
"The people of Pennsylvania, on Nov. 6, I believe will vote for me and give me the support I need to become the next president of the United States," he said.
During a visit to a campaign phone bank before the speech, Romney called the state "critical" to his White House chances.
As for the more pressing matter – the April 24 Republican primary showdown against Rick Santorum – Romney was careful not to overstate his chances.
Clearly lowering expectations even though polls show him gaining on Santorum in the former senator's home state Romney said "everybody expects someone to win their home state."
"Newt Gingrich won his state, I won my state, I think people expect the senator to win his home state," he said. "But I'll pick up a lot of delegates, and we have several other states with contests the same day - I hope to win all of those, and if I can win the others and pick up some delegates here, it will give me an even stronger lead."
From CNN Politics
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Truth, Romney has already lost the General Election. Look at the polls for voting American Women. lol, look real hard
from the article:
s Romney put it, "the reason that's going to happen, by the way, is that the people of Pennsylvania have taken a good look at conservative leadership. They've seen your senator, Pat Toomey, they've seen your governor, they've seen that conservative leaders are the people who will help grow the middle class."
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"...they've seen that conservative leaders are the people who will help grow the middle class." Seen? Where or when did that take place? When or where has conservative leadership ever helped to "grow the middle class"? The middle class wages have been stagnate for the past 30+ years.
The middle class lost 9 million manufacturing jobs under the last conservative leadership, and 8 million jobs overall during the their last 3 years. To top it off, the new "conservative leadership" being assembled by Romney has most of the same faces.
Remember how he promised to make sure that safety nets were in place for the poor and then a few days later said that he wanted to eliminate one, Planned Parenthood, that thousands of women depend on for medical care? I think the only honest promise he can make is that he will say whatever the person or persons in front of him want to hear.
Obama 2012
Another promise Mitt can't keep – although not nearly as egregious as his combination of promises of deep tax cuts, increasing military spending, maintaining Social Security, and balancing the budget – which is impossible. It is how our debt problems began in the 1980’s (Reagan who tripled the national debt) and accelerated in the 2000’s (GWB who doubled the national debt). More in an ever growing pile of lies by Mitt Romney. There are now websites documenting all the lies he has told over the past year and providing the facts that verify that he is lying.
Biden is a joke, just like his boss. These twins are the embarrassment of the US.
Larry L, excellent comment
Go Romney, the man with the vision, drive and skill set to get America running on all cylinders. Which will help the poor and middle class more than anything Obama has done. Romney wants to help the poor by creating a vibrant economy for the poor, not himself. When he fixed the Olympics, he did it without pay. When he was governor of Massachusetts he did it without pay. When he went back to Bain to help them the second time, he did it without pay.
"Biden is going to be all over this state, the place where he was born. Don't try to claim it as your home state."
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Biden????
If Obama is as savvy a campaigner as he was last time, he wouldn't let that buffoon see the light of day in any battleground state. Crazy Joe will be showing his face in places like NY, CA, MA, and MD.
@ The Real Truth. WORD! MR Plastic says something stupid every few hours. Russia is our biggest Foe. Yea, thats I guy I want as Commander in Chief., The Prez is an Elitest, another good one for a guy who has Elevators for his cars in his homes & has Secret Swiss bank accounts..
You kwow what would be MARVELOUSLY funny, See Willard have a speech in Harlem. That I would pay Admission for. LET THESE PEOPLE VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Romney can not beat the runner-up – Santorum in his own Party now, how he would be able to beat the Champion – OBAMA
Mittens will not win the nomination. Sarah Palin will take the nomination away from him in a contested convention and she will win Pennslyvania against Obozo in the general election. Sarah Palin will be our next President.
If Romney can not beat the runner-up Santorum in his own party now, how he would be able to beat the Champion – Obama in November.
Just say no. Robmey is so good at alienating every American with his ideas. Loves the Ryan plan, that only helps the 1%, and kills medicare, cuts to veterans, Paul says generals at the Petagon lie. If this is what Robmey supports, expect to have your parents moving in with you because the medicare coupon will not be able to cover ANY medical expenses. Right now the elderly have a backup ins plan because medicare doesn't cover much.
And to all of the gays, women, immigrants, poor,poorer and poorest, planed parenthood users, and if you are a person without a elevator in your garage, and no friends who own fotball teams and nascar teams, then you are right up Robmeys ally.
The United States can run like a well oiled machine, but we do have to be careful of the GOP dipsticks who want to destroy our economy.
Palin, really? She ducked out of her term as governor, just left it. Why? To get the big bucks on a book tour. That is not someone who is supporting the American people, she is wanting to pad her checking account.
JoeW in Pa!! Good luck Mitten. We know that we are running against Karl Rove, George W, Romney, the Koch brothers and all the conservative nut case policies that have served to drive this country into unnecessary wars, drive this economy into a ditch and alienate almost every thinking woman in the country. We see the agenda. We hear it loud and clear. We will be working against all that Romney and his party stand for. GOP only pretends to represent the interest of all the people and the interests of a caring religion in order to get votes.
Mitt Romney's problem is that he is obviously trying to something that he isn't, or doesn't come naturally to him. It's hard for him to act like a conservative, and it shows. It's obvious that he's lived most of his life inside of a plutocratic bubble.
But, Romney's biggest problem is that he is just plain stiff, literally. He cannot turn his head without turning his entire body and shoulders. Stiff. When your body language is all out of whack, it makes whatever said sound even worse. I think MItt and Rick should go bowling, and have a couple of caffeine free root beers.
Not a chance, Mitty. PA will be Obama territory once again in 2012
Well Mitt, current aggregate polls show you down 4.7 to Obama in PA and down 4.1 overall in the general election. Sure, you could make up the difference but right now, it's looking like defeat in somewhat epic fashion for you.
Once the "I like to fire people" and "I don't care about the very poor" ads start running, I am pretty sure your numbers are going to tank, not increase.
Any candidate that can guarantee to deliver on a promise of an election victory is by definition corrupt.
Romney you will lose the election in November.
President Obama will beat you in a landslide.
I really dont get why this Country dislikes Willard o much, So he s a draft dodger who put thousands & thousands of people out of work & sent their jobs to China & got a Billion in Earmarks from The US Treasury for his mormon Bain Buddies & 02 games & hides a few hundred mill overseas to avoid taxes & is going to send 100 % of the Keystone supply of America. Does this make him such a bad guy??
Great comment.
When is everyone going to get off this "PA is a swing state" horse? PA hasn't gone red since Reagan, Obama is leading in virtually every poll, and Romney is decidedly not a strong enough candidate to reverse these trends. PA is not a swing state this year, just like it wasn't in '08. Neither is Michigan, neither is Wisconsin. Just paint those states blue on this year's map and focus on the actual swing states.
Mitt, try looking at wining in Pennsylvania on April 24th. Then you can look to your defeat in November.