Republican has not won Michigan since 1988
George H.W. Bush was the last republican to win Michigan during a presidential election.
His win here in 1988 has been followed by 24 years of Democratic dominance in national elections.
Michigan native Mitt Romney is attempting to break that cycle of losing, but his road to victory in November is a difficult one.
"To have somebody who's running for president and who grew up and spent time in Michigan, whose father was the governor of Michigan, and to fail to make that connection between GM, Chrysler and really Ford and the automotive industry, manufacturing itself, to the people of Michigan shows a disconnect and I don't think its one that independent, moderate voters and definitely democrats are going to forget in November," Art Reyes said.
Reyes is the chairman of the Genesee County Democratic Party and the President of UAW Local 651.
Automotive union workers still take issue with Romney's New York Times op-ed piece from November 2008.
In it he wrote that General Motors, Chrysler and Ford should all be allowed to go bankrupt.
Instead, the Obama administration intervened, and after $64 billion in government assistance for GM and Chrysler, the two automakers have rejoined Ford on the apex of carmakers.
"There's no question Michigan's economy is better because of the fact that General Motors is still in existence today," Reyes adds.
Romney stands by the article.
Michigan republicans say its that kind of bold business strategy that will catapult Romney into the oval office.
"I think he will win Michigan. Even the President knows he has to win Michigan. We as the republican party know that we have an amazing opportunity to deliver for the nation," said Sharon Wise, Co-Chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
Polls conducted in April show President Obama with a slim four percent lead over Romney, with as much as ten percent of voters still undecided.
