Romney woos Hispanics, says Obama has failed them

PHOENIX (AP) ? Republican Mitt Romney told Hispanic voters Friday that Democratic President Barack Obama's economic policies have hurt them, wooing a constituency critical in the general election. The push comes the same week that Obama launched an advertising effort to keep these Democratic-leaning voters in his own fold.

The one-two punch underscored the importance the nation's fastest-growing minority group is playing in the general election, particularly in swing-voting states that are expected to be competitive right up until Election Day.

Before a scheduled round-table discussion with Hispanic business leaders, Romney's campaign circulated a graphic aimed at highlighting the impact of tough economic conditions on Hispanic families.

"The Obama administration has brought hard times to Hispanics in America," the graphic says. "Under President Obama, more Hispanics have struggled to find work than at any other time on record."

Obama's campaign, meanwhile, is spending about $145,000 on broadcast advertising aimed at Hispanics this week, according to data from the media tracking firm SMG Delta. The ads are running in Florida, Colorado and Nevada ? all battleground states in the fall campaign.

Hispanic voters overwhelmingly supported Obama in the 2008 election.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, was also in Arizona to address state Republican leaders. He spoke as the presumptive nominee and his campaign worked to integrate with the Republican National Committee.

Reading from a list, Romney rattled off the names of his primary challengers and thanked them, saying they "fought hard and well." The list included Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, who are still campaigning against him.

Sen. John McCain, the party's 2008 nominee, and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus introduced Romney to the gathering of about 200 people. Priebus told Romney that he wanted to welcome him "in a formal way, to greet a family here."

In his speech to the group, Romney criticized David Axelrod, a top Obama adviser, who on Sunday characterized the election as a choice between and economy that "produces a growing middle class and that gives people a chance to get ahead and their kids a chance to get ahead, and an economy that continues down the road we are on."

Reading the remark as casting Obama's economic record in a bad light, Romney said, "I could not agree more."

Romney also met privately with RNC members who had been loyal supporters during the primary process.

Ahead of his speech, three top Romney advisers spent two days meeting with GOP leaders. The party committee has been laying the groundwork for its voter identification programs as well as for a major outreach program to Hispanic voters as the primary process has ground on.

Romney advisers say the integration between the committee and the campaign is going relatively smoothly, as many Romney advisers have close personal ties to RNC staffers or have worked for the committee before.

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