Susana Martinez knocks Romney's '47 percent' comments

‪New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who had a prominent speaking role at the Republican National Convention, leveled criticism Wednesday at Mitt Romney's comments during a closed-door fundraiser earlier this year.‬

‪In a secretly recorded video of the event, Romney describes "47 percent of the people," who will vote with the president and who "believe that they are victims." He goes on to say that his "job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." ‬

‪In an interview with the Alburquerque Journal, Martinez said she believed every vote mattered. Romney has since said his remarks were "not elegantly stated.‬"

"We have a lot of people that are at the poverty level in New Mexico, but they count just as much as anybody else," Martinez said. "There is a net that does allow them to be caught and taken care of, whether it be through medical services, whether it be food services, whether it be with funding for apartments, for housing.‬

‪The New Mexico governor went on to defend the social safety net, which some Republicans have criticized in recent campaign speeches defending Romney's remarks.‬

‪"I think, certainly the fact that New Mexico provides that safety net is a good thing," Martinez said.‬

Other Republicans have conceded that Romney's remarks were poorly worded.‬ In an interview Tuesday with KNRV-TV, running mate Paul Ryan said that Romney's statement was "obviously inarticulate."‬

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