Sen. John McCain’s “Road to Victory” campaign made a stop in Zanesville yesterday evening where supporters gathered to hear his platform on cutting taxes, creating new jobs and bringing American troops home “in victory.”

“I am going to create wealth for all Americans by creating job opportunities for all Americans,” McCain said.

Yesterday also marked the 41st anniversary of when McCain’s plane was shot down in Vietnam, where he spent five-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war.

McCain spent the majority of his 20-minute speech talking about how he is different from his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama.

“If Sen. Obama is elected president, his response to America’s problems is to weaken defense and raise taxes,” McCain said. “That’s not the vision I have for America. I want to strengthen defense and lower taxes.”

According to the Ohio Newspaper Poll released Saturday, McCain is trailing Obama by 3 percentage points in Ohio.

While waiting for McCain to make his appearance, Renee Smith, a mom and 32-year supporter of the Republican party from Zanesville, said she was looking forward to hearing a full speech from McCain instead of the excerpts seen on TV.

“I want to hear about his plans for economic action and tax cuts to spur the economy,” said Smith in her pink T-shirt with a picture of Gov. Sarah Palin.

Joined on stage by his wife, Cindy, and friend Sen. Lindsey Graham, from South Carolina, McCain was able to get the already boisterous crowd of supporters laughing at the beginning of his speech when he made a jab about a lighting failure in the gym.

“I think the lighting is brought to you by the Democratic National Committee,” McCain said.

Dressed in McCain-Palin T-shirts and waving “Country First” signs, supporters cheered McCain during his speech but became especially excited when he spoke about his plans for the economy and tackling government spending – issues important to this small town in eastern Ohio.

“I’m going to make the government live on a budget just like you do,” McCain said. “I will veto every pork-barrel bill that comes across my desk.”

McCain went on to talk about how he, if elected president, will create 700,000 new jobs for Americans and tackle the current energy crisis by building 45 new nuclear power plants and lessening the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

“When I am elected president, we are going to stop sending $7 billion a year overseas to buy oil,” McCain said over the loud cheers from his supporters. “My friends, we have to drill offshore, and we have to drill now.”

For one supporter, who waited three hours in the hot, crowded gym to hear McCain’s speech, McCain is the only candidate he trusts.

“I believe in John,” said Gary Tague, a Navy veteran from Pickerington. “I think he is an honest man. I just trust him.”

Contact public affairs reporter Sarah McGrath at [email protected].