The re-energized presidential campaign of Mitt Romney hopes to capitalize on a strong debate performance with rallies in the battleground states of Virginia and Florida on Friday.
The Republican candidate, whose poll numbers were lagging before Wednesday's debate, told a crowd of supporters Thursday that President Barack Obama can no longer be trusted with the struggling U.S. economy.
President Obama, who holds rallies at colleges in Virginia and Ohio on Friday, went on the attack, accusing his rival of changing his campaign positions to a more centrist perspective during the debate.
Opinion polls suggest that Mr. Romney won the first debate of the general election, which Nielsen ratings agency says was seen by over 67 million people. That represents an increase of 28 percent from the first debate in the 2008 presidential campaign.