DURANGO, Colo.—U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan is criticizing the Obama administration’s economic policies during a tour of Colorado on a critical day highlighted by the last presidential debate and the start of early voting.
Ryan rallied more than 1,000 people in both Pueblo and Durango on Monday and repeated the message that small businesses have been hurt by President Barack Obama’s policies.
In Pueblo, the Republican vice presidential candidate visited the heating and air conditioning company Vision Mechanical, which has cut jobs. Owner Bill Singleton says he has 63 employees, down from 158 in April.
Ryan said the country is built on such small businesses but that the Obama administration has saddled them with a heavy tax burden.
Ryan plans to watch the last presidential debate from Grand Junction.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan campaigned in Colorado for running mate Mitt Romney on Monday, a critical day highlighted by the final presidential debate and the start of early voting.
The Republican vice presidential candidate began in Pueblo, where he visited Vision Mechanical, a heating and air conditioning manufacturing company that has cut 95 jobs this year, and then spoke to about 1,000 people outside. The company had 158 employees in April and only 63 now, owner Bill Singleton said.
“But they’re fighting, they’re surviving,” Ryan said.
He said small businesses like Singleton’s are “the engine of economic growth and opportunity in America” and that they’re being saddled with a heavy tax burden under the Barack Obama administration.
“The good news is we can get this back. We can grow this economy like it’s supposed to grow,” Ryan said.
Ryan also said the country is on the path to a debt crisis like the one developing in Europe and pledged to keep the military strong if he and Romney are elected, echoing his message to voters in Colorado Springs on Sunday.
He urged people to take advantage of early voting in Colorado.
“This is the most important election in our lifetime, no matter what generation you’re from,” he said.
Meanwhile, Colorado Democrats were urging voters to vote early for Obama. Gov. John Hickenloooper, Sen. Michael Bennet, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and Mayor Michael Hancock all walked to an election center near the state Capitol to cast their votes for the president.
The candidates’ running mates were on the road Monday in battleground states while Obama and Romney were preparing for their crucial final debate, focused on foreign policy.
While Ryan was in Colorado, Biden was campaigning in Ohio.
Ryan also plans to campaign in Durango on Monday and then watch the debate from Grand Junction.
