In an op-ed in the Sunday edition of the Hampton Virginian Pilot, Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) Executive Director Scott Paul explained why voters in Virginia want to see a revitalization of U.S. manufacturing:

A substantial majority of voters rate manufacturing as the industry "most important to the overall strength of the American economy," according to an Alliance for American Manufacturing national poll released last month. Eighty-nine percent of voters support a national manufacturing strategy to restore U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and they want aggressive action by Washington to help create manufacturing jobs.

China was a top concern for voters thoughout the U.S.  Paul says this is particularly important in Virginia:

China's predatory practices are particularly relevant to Virginia because manufacturing is a pillar of the state economy, supporting 230,000 jobs. By keeping its currency undervalued, China lowers the price of its goods sold here - a practice that has decimated the textile mills and furniture factories of Southside and continues to threaten local manufacturers in industries such as auto parts, which employs 22,000 Virginians.

And China's currency manipulation raises the price of goods manufactured in the state and shipped to China, Virginia's fourth largest export market. Exported goods alone account for 100,000 jobs in the state.

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