Obama Plans 50-State Drive

Group Shines a Light on China

A nonprofit group seeking to energize manufacturing and steelworkers has launched a new phase of an unorthodox advertising campaign called "China Cheats."

The Alliance for American Manufacturing, a project of the United Steelworkers union, U.S. Steel and Allegheny Technologies, launched the campaign in Pennsylvania and is now moving it into Indiana.

Newspapers in seven Indiana media markets -- Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, Terre Haute and two outlets in northwest Indiana -- will be publishing the "China Cheats" ad, which demands that presidential candidates enforce trade laws with China.

Efforts to engage the group's target audience -- blue-collar workers -- stand to benefit Hillary Clinton, who saw a significant edge in support in western Pennsylvania's steel towns.

The alliance is also planning radio ads in Indiana and a candidate forum in the state. It has launched a campaign blog monitoring candidate statements about trade and the economy. One Indiana newspaper reported that the group bought print advertising worth $250,000, but little is known about the group's overall spending plans.

The group's director, Scott Paul, said in a statement that the goal is to urge presidential candidates to speak out and to hold China accountable for unfair trade practices that result in job losses. "Voters who care about the economy are the dominant demographic for the primary candidates," he said. "The candidate who clearly commits to solving the China crisis is going to win Indiana."

-- Matthew Mosk