Romney predicts a win in Wisconsin

RNC chairman Reince Priebus , right, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., left, arrive for a campaign stop at Monterey Mills on Monday, June 18, 2012 in Janesville, Wis.

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

(CBS News) Mitt Romney's bus tour drove into Janesville, Wisc., Monday with a cadre of popular Wisconsin conservatives at his side.

With Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wisc., and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on stage flanking the Republicans' presumptive presidential nominee, Romney said he will win in November.

"We're going to win Wisconsin. We're going to get the White House," Romney said.

Ryan reminded the audience of the rightward tilt the state has experienced in the past two years and that a vote for Romney would continue the trend.

"This election really is a choice. And it is a choice of two futures and you know what? In Wisconsin, in 2010, we elected leaders to get our state back. To attack our problems and fix the mess in Madison and get us back on track," Ryan said. "And about two weeks ago, we did the same thing by re-electing those same leaders to get us back on track."

The Romney campaign is confident in his chances to win the Badger State, which has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1988. But after Walker survived his recall election in June with 200,000 more votes than he received in 2010, Republicans are feeling optimistic, even though President Obama won handedly in 2008.

Is Wisconsin ripe for a Romney win?

To a crowd of 700 at the Monterey Mills textile plant, Romney once again called President Obama eloquent but said the president hopes to "change the subject" away from the economy and his record.

"These are challenging times for Americans, and because of his failed record, his campaign is having a hard time deciding what to talk about, because they'd like to talk about the economy, they'd like to talk about his record but you know, the last time his campaign slogan was hope and change this time he's going with: we hope to change the subject," Romney said.

Janesville is also the hometown of Ryan, who is the head of the House Budget Committee and author of the Republican's budget plan.

Noting his appeal and playing into speculation that Ryan is on Romney's short list to be his running mate, the president and CEO of the Monterey Mills textile plant, Dan Sinykin, suggested Romney should choose Ryan.

"Governor Romney, we are in Congressman Ryan's hometown, he is right here. If you have an announcement to make...," Sinykin said.

Romney did not make an announcement about Ryan or any of his vice presidential contenders. Instead he finished his talking points and headed to the next battleground state on his bus tour: Iowa.

[marychgo]

If voters in Wisconsin (or any other state) take the time to look at Paul Ryan's "budget," which Mitt Romney has endorsed, they'll run, screaming and crying, away from ANY GOP candidate!

[RollotheNorman]

"To a crowd of 700 at the Monterey Mills textile plant, Romney once again called President Obama eloquent but said the president hopes to "change the subject" away from the economy and his record."

Long time RepubliCON watchers will recognize this old GOP strategy - do something and immediately accuse your opponent of doing it instead.

Now as to Wisconsin: With 5 months to go -

RCP Average 5/11 - 6/12 -- 47.8 44.4 Obama +3.4

[tvwatcher5345]

i don't understand why the dems don't bug romney to file and release his 2011 tax return, romney filed for an extention so he does not have to file/release the info until just a fews weeks before the election, i would be all over that

[RollotheNorman]

Or even better match his Daddy. George released the previous 10 years returns when he ran. Does Junior have more to hide? Inquiring minds want to know.

[marychgo]

There's even more. I read today that Romney gave the McCain team 23 years of tax filings when he was being vetted in 2008 as a possible vice presidential candidate. (McCain went on to pick Sarah Palin; what does THAT say?) If John McCain and his team could review those filings in 2008, why can't the American voters review them in 2012?

[hhandyman]

makes no difference hes got the numbers to claim national win of his primary so vote or no vote the point is MOOT. its as useful as milking a bull

[Maerzie]

Here's the 2010 incomes from the Wisconsin census:


Median household income 2006-2010....... $51,598-$51,914

Persons below poverty level, percent, 2006-2010...... 11.6%-13.8%

That's a FAR CRY below the $250,000 EACH income needed to ever benefit from voting Republican. Course, "Keep them undereducated and gullible" is the "r"epublican recruitment slogan! (small "r" for the low income ones they need for votes who will vote AGAINST themselves.)

[Maerzie]

Too bad the Republicans couldn't find a better candidate. Nobody likes a liar. Romney is a liar, so does that mean ALL MORMONS are liars too?? He is actually representing his religion too, so he's definitely giving "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" a bad name with all his lies and hate coming out of his mouth. But they probably don't care, as long as he keeps up his donations!

[wfw3536]

It is sad when folks do not understand the Mormon religion and are so hateful.

[Maerzie]

Isn't it interesting how the people who fell gullible to Walker's liescan predict the future elections of our Democratic state? Will Obama's election ALSO be about union busting, so will get all the Democrat votes who hate unions? They're so dense, they don't even understand that Walker had all his devious schemes working in concert with his orders he was given to bust unions. The union busting was over HALF the vote. Those same people aren't stupid enough to vote against their entire LIVES. Everyone knows that Republican philosophy and legislation only benefits the people making OVER the $250,000 line EACH! Look at the stats for Wisconsin. That isn't very many people at all! ESPECIALLY since Walker renigged on his promise to get "all these jobs?" for Wisconsin. They KNOW they can't trust Republicans, especially not Rpomney, who speaks out of all THREE sides of his mouth, depending on which audience he is trying to seduce.

[wfw3536]

Obama lost Wisconsin when he threw labor unions and Tom Barrett under the bus as a no show, yet had time the week before to visit Mn and Ill to raise money for his campaign. The Dems also made a huge mistake by pushing the recall on Walker, who now has a statewide organization that will help Romney win.