New York Jets owner Woody Johnson said Monday that a Mitt Romney victory in November was more important to him than a successful NFL season.
"Well I think that you always have to put country first so I think that it's very, very important that, not only for us, but for our kids and grandkids that this election come off with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as president and vice president," Johnson, the New York chairman of Romney's presidential campaign, said Monday on Bloomberg TV.
Johnson said Romney needed to target his message on the deficit and helping small businesses to middle-class and swing-state voters to turn the election.
"I think that his message has to get out to the middle class and the voters — and particularly the swing voters — that lowering the debt, smaller government by attrition — not just hacking away, but by attrition — more coherent foreign policy, freeing up small and individual sized businesses so they're able to employ people ... that message has to get out, I think, still." Johnson.
He predicted that the upcoming presidential debates would bolster Romney among swing voters.
"I think the debates are going to help. Our paid media are going to help," Johnson said.
The NFL owner and prominent Romney backer’s comments come as a number of national polls show Romney slipping behind President Obama. Johnson said those polls have generally shown a lead within the margin of error and that swing-state voters still haven't made up their minds yet.
"You know, the national polls are within the margin of error so I think [Romney's] getting through but the swing voters still haven't made up their mind —that 5 to 7 percent," Johnson said. Once undecided swing voters hear how Romney and Ryan plan to improve the economy, "they'll be attracted" to Republican ticket, he added.
