Mitt Romney said he is not the one waging a war on women, despite what Democrats are saying.
"The real war on women is being waged by the President's failed economic policies," Romney told a crowd of supporters at a Hartford printing company Wednesday.
Romney was flanked by female business owners with whom he met with before the event.
He chose Alpha Graphics on Main Street because it's owned by a woman.
Karen Brinker operates franchises in Hartford and Greenwich and employs 24 people between the two locations.
Brinker considers herself non-political but says the past four years have been tough to do business.
"Makes people afraid to spend, afraid to do anything," Brinker said. "I think it's time to change that."
The likely Republican nominee shifted to a general election focus and is targeting women voters.
The campaign stop in Harford came just one day after Romney's chief rival, Rick Santorum dropped his bid for the Republican nomination.
"This president has failed America's women and if I'm the next President I will go to work to get American women good jobs, rising income and growing businesses," Romney said.
Romney told supporters that women account for 92% of the jobs lost under President Obama but many disputed that fact.
The Republican has a tough road ahead in heavily Democratic Connecticut.
A recent Quinnipiac Poll of likely Connecticut voters shows President Obama is leading Romney, 53 to 37 percent.
The gap among Connecticut women is about the same with Obama leading Romney, 55 to 34 percent.
Supporters believe there is still time for Romney to win over women and independents in the state.
"I think he has a reasonable shot of winnning Connecticut, I really do," Ann Brickley said.
Speaking outside the campaign event, Democrats fired back at the former Massachusetts Governor.
"Governor Romney doesn't have a plan to put people back to work and President Obama does," said Julie Kushner, UAW Region 9A Director.
Romney’s wife, Ann Romney, will be the keynote speaker at the Prescott Bush Dinner in Stamford, the night before the April 24th Republican primary.
The dinner is the annual Republican Party fundraiser.
