IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Senator: Auto industry bringing Ohio behind Obama

Ohio, arguably the most crucial swing state in election, is polling favorably for President Obama because of Mitt Romney's failure to back the auto

Ohio, arguably the most crucial swing state in election, is polling favorably for President Obama because of Mitt Romney's failure to back the auto rescue in 2008, said Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on Tuesday's The Ed Show. "It's the primary reason Romney just can't get traction in this state," he said. "We're an auto state."

On the eve of the auto bailout, the unemployment rate  in the state was over 10.5 percent; now, it sits at 7. That improvement would not have happened without the auto rescue engineered by Obama, Brown said.

Similarly, Obama is benefiting from his tough stance on trade with China. He's been the most aggressive president when it comes to enforcing trade rules since Ronald Reagan, said Brown. "Enforcing trade rules one at a time does work and you can specifically attribute job growth to it," he said.

In 2009, Obama sought tariffs against China for dumping tires into America; the World Trade Organization ruled in favor of the United States. In fact, under Obama the United States has brought cases against China's trade policies at an average of two per year; the number under President George W. Bush was less than one per year.