Romney brings message of change that 47 percent may ignore

You can come out now, Dean Heller. Once again the coast is clear.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney campaigned Friday in Las Vegas, speaking for 20 minutes to a crowd of approximately 3,000 at UNLV's Cox Pavilion. Romney managed to excite the converted in a limited setting with a message of change in Washington.

Although he reminded all present he had a plan that would improve the status of all Americans, including many struggling Las Vegans, Romney didn't do much to put to rest the controversy swirling around the release of his comment that, "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it."

Those words were spoken in May at a $50,000-per-person fundraiser when Romney believed he was out of range of middle-class ears. Thanks to Mother Jones magazine, the Democrats are having a field day.

Sen. Heller and many other Republican candidates are wisely springing from Romney on the issue.

Heller this past week told The Washington Post, "Keep in mind, I have five brothers and sisters. My father was an auto mechanic. My mother was a school cook. I have a very different view of the world. And as United States senator, I think I represent everyone, and every vote's important. Every vote's important in this race. I don't write off anybody."

Did he mention every vote is important?

Fast-forward to Friday at UNLV, where Romney mentioned Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and Rep. Joe Heck, but forgot to say the words "Dean Heller."

Those who turned out to see their favorite presidential candidate couldn't have missed the three signs that announced, "The Romney Plan For A Stronger Middle Class."

While no one expects intimate policy details at a political rally, what Romney's rooters heard were five unoriginal brush strokes in support of his promise to create 12 million jobs in the next four years.

"Washington is broken. Washington is broken," Romney said. "There's so much we need Washington to do. We have 23 million people out of work. Incomes have been declining four years in a row. Eight percent unemployment for over, how many, 43 months. Right here in Las Vegas and in Nevada, you've seen housing prices bumping along the bottom, record numbers of foreclosures. These are tough times. And we have a president who says he can't fix Washington. I can. I will lead. I will get the job done."

Romney reeled off five general points to accomplish the formidable task: Increase domestic energy production, improve foreign trade, increase education and job training, cap and cut federal spending to balance the budget, and embrace small business by repealing Obamacare.

Closer to your home, Romney promised he would force the federal government to release thousands of foreclosed houses onto the market and loosen mortgage lending standards. Whether you think that will help the scandalized local market or sink home values for years to come, that is part of Romney's plan for Nevadans. He previously said he would allow the housing market to "hit bottom."

Others can argue the relative effectiveness of such a strategy. I can only say Romney is showing some signs of tanking in Nevada, a swing state he needs to succeed.

Buried beneath Friday's news that Republican Danny Tarkanian had inched ahead of Steven Horsford in the 4th Congressional District race in the latest Review-Journal/8NewsNow poll was the intriguing nugget that Romney now trails President Barack Obama 52 percent to 43 percent in that district, with just 2 percent undecided.

That begs the question whether Romney has successfully reached out to Latinos, other minorities, and young voters. The poll hints that he hasn't. And he can't win by appealing only to the converted.

With less than a month to go before the Oct. 20 start of early voting, there's no time to waste.

Perhaps that's the real reason Team Romney went to such pains earlier in the week to announce it was sending two regional directors to Nevada to increase his chances of winning the state in November. It's also sending field troops to attempt to make up the ground it's been losing. It will need an army.

The warning signs have been present for weeks.

At a time of high unemployment and palpable taxpayer discontent in Nevada, Democrats have registered thousands of new voters and now hold a 60,000-voter registration edge.

With scores of Nevadans out of work, a national home mortgage and foreclosure crisis, and the Obama administration's mixed track record, Romney should be walking away with the Silver State.

The fact that he's not says something about the man and his machine.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Email him at Smith@reviewjournal
.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith. Follow him on Twitter @jlnevadasmith.