Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan held a rally in Lakeland, Florida today, saying "thank you" to the Tampa Bay area. They spoke to an estimated crowd of 2,000, and they made a special push to court disenchanted supporters of President Obama.
Congressman Ryan echoed an image from his convention speech earlier this week, one of college graduates looking up at fading Obama posters in their childhood bedrooms. Governor Romney called on supporters to bring those same voters into his camp.
"You're gonna have to go out and find a person who voted for Barack Obama," said the governor. "I know they're here. They're not as visible as they used to be. You can see the glue on the back of the bumper sticker - where it used to be."
The youth vote was key to President Obama's victory in 2008, but 15-year-old Hunter Brantsner (who was at the rally) liked what he heard from the challenger, Romney.
"I'm lovin' him man," said Brantsner. "Because four years from now, I'm gonna be in college and those jobs he's creating are gonna be there for me."
After the rally, Ryan headed to campaign in Virginia while Romney flew to southern Louisiana to tour damage from Hurricane Isaac.
