Romney Comes to Cedar Rapids Friday to Talk Jobs and Economy

Mitt Romney, who has been absent from Iowa for much of the lead up to the January 3 caucuses, will be in Cedar Rapids for a town hall meeting at 10:35 a.m., Friday. 

Romney will be hosting the town hall meeting to discuss jobs and the economy at Diamond V, a Cedar Rapids company that produces livestock feed formulas.

Thus far, he has only been to Iowa seven times the campaign season, which is a relatively small number when compared to other candidates, who have been much more aggressive in face-to-face politicking in Iowa.

Romney had been the frontrunner in Iowa, but recently dropped to third in Iowa behind Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, according to the most recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, and Romney has started redirecting some of his attack rhetoric from President Obama to Gingrich.

Iowa Democrats have been for his absence, but say now he is becoming a more frequent visitor in hopes of winning the caucuses.

"In the last few weeks, Mitt Romney has rolled out a greatly expanded campaign apparatus in Iowa – opening a new office in Des Moines, sending additional staff and investing heavily in television and mail advertising," Sue Dvorksy, chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, said in a press release.