WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney hit the campaign trail yesterday in battleground Ohio, where he brought New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to vouch for his pro-life record and clarify his recent comments on abortion.
“Let me speak to all the pro-life voters out there, because you know I am pro-life,” Christie told the Laura Ingraham radio show. “This is no change in position for Gov. Romney. We’ve talked about this issue for a long time. And he is pro-life. He is deeply committed to the issues.”
Christie spoke a day after Romney told the Des Moines Register, “There’s no legislation with regards to abortion that I’m familiar with that would become part of my agenda.”
Romney clarified yesterday that he would “immediately” remove funding for Planned Parenthood.
“It will not be part of my budget,” Romney said.
Obama campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter slammed Romney for trying to “cover up his beliefs,” saying: “We saw proof of Romney’s dishonesty yesterday. He’s trying to hide his real positions, but there’s no hiding when you’re president.”
The abortion fight comes just days after a new national poll showed Obama’s wide lead among women voters evaporating.
Romney spoke yesterday on the stump about Breast Cancer Awareness month, alluding to his wife Ann’s battle with the disease, and sporting a breast cancer pin.
Christie — who forecast the post-debate surge for Romney that has him back in the running in Ohio — fired up a crowd in Mount Vernon, telling them, “I guarantee you this, everybody, you’re about to hear from the next president of the United States.”
Romney remarked on watching some of the hard-hitting TV ads about himself.
“It is a good thing I don’t do that very often because my blood pressure would be very high,” he quipped.
A new Ohio poll by SurveyUSA gives Obama a 45-44 lead over Romney. Polls before the presidential debate had Obama pulling away in Ohio by an eight- to 10-point margin.
Romney returns to Ohio to campaign this weekend.