For months, Mitt Romney has been contradicted by Republican governors in key swing states — he’s trying to convince voters to feel depressed and pessimistic; they’re doing the opposite, talking up the improvements in their states’ economies.
The conflict reached a new level with reports that Romney urged Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) to “tone down his statements heralding improvements in the state’s economy because they clash with the presumptive Republican nominee’s message.”
By yesterday afternoon, the relevant players were denying such talks took place, but whether you believe the accounts or not, it’s worth noting that the far-right Florida governor doesn’t seem to mind stepping all over Romney’s message. Just yesterday, Scott’s state Republican Party sent out a press statement along with this chart, showing the growth in Florida’s private-sector job market.
It was accompanied by text heralding the “increases in job creation and economic growth” in Florida, the drop in Florida’s unemployment rate, and the boast that Florida “is heading in the right direction.”
Of course, the GOP statement credits Rick Scott for the developments, not President Obama, but the point is, the Florida governor wants voters in the nation’s largest swing state to feel great about Florida’s growing economy — and Romney doesn’t. Remember, it’s not just Florida. Maddow Blog has been documenting the trend for over a month, but as other news outlets pick up on this, we see the examples of conflict between Romney and his ostensible gubernatorial allies grow. The New York Times reports today that the Republican presidential nominee is “on a collision course” with GOP governors in states like Virginia, Ohio and Iowa. The Daily Beast noted the concerns in Wisconsin, too.
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