Analysis: Virginia Del. Comstock On The RNC, Women In The GOP

Several politicians from Virginia are expected to speak at the Republican National Convention this week. Virginia Del. Barbara Comstock is one of them. She represents parts of Fairfax and Loudoun Counties in the House of Delegates, and she's co-chair of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign in the state. Comstock joins WAMU All Things Considered host Pat Brogan live from Tampa, Fla.

What do see as your role there — and what you plan to say?

"What we're focused on for the convention is how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are uniquely situated to really turn this economy around — that we do not have to be in this ditch we're in. It's the worst economic recovery in decades. We can do better. These are two people who really understand the American Dream and understanding getting this economy moving again."

In the latest Quinnipac University polling earlier this month, President Obama had a 14 point lead among women in Virginia.  You've played an active role in the "Women for Romney" group. Why do you think Virginia women are leaning toward the President?

"We are running 50-50 in the state, so we are working hard. We certainly always want to have more from every group. We have a lot of coalitions around the state focusing on women's groups. We have lots of African people out there. We have Asian-American groups that we are doing things with daily and weekly. Also Hispanic and African-American outreach. So there's no voter we want to leave behind, we're reaching out to all. And when we talk to women, we understand that they're concerned about the economy. And having their kids employed instead of this 50 percent unemployment when their kids get out of college. So we're going to continue to tell that story. They're going to find out something they haven't found out, which is that 50 percent of Romney's cabinet are senior women. Because he likes to have the best people in place to do the job, and I think if you have more women in senior places like that, you might have people who really understand the budget, because we're the ones who make 80 percent of the spending decisions."