TAMPA -- Mitt Romney has been airing a Spanish-language ad in the Miami market to try to woo the Hispanic vote -- prompting an inquiry from the media Wednesday about the former Massachusetts governor's belief that immigrants should learn English.

The commercial, titled Mi Padre, features one of Romney's five sons speaking in Spanish about his dad's family values and accomplishments.

The aim was to ''get in contact with any person I can in this country, regardless of what language they speak,'' said Romney, speaking at an event at a Tampa cancer research facility.

He did note that as governor he supported English-fluency classes in community college programs.

''I will also tell those who speak other languages, learn English,'' he said.

``I'm certainly going to communicate with them and encourage them to vote for me.''

-- TERE FIGUERAS

NEGRETE

ORLANDO -- John McCain joined central Florida business leaders in a cavernous Orlando bath tub factory on Wednesday to address the issue most important to many Floridians: the faltering economy.

The Arizona senator fielded questions on topics ranging from the rising price of oil to the impact of international anti-American sentiment on tourism at an economic roundtable discussion at the Baker Manufacturing Co.

''The fundamentals of the economy are still strong,'' McCain said. ''I'm convinced we can make a comeback and I believe we can fix the problems that caused some of the difficulties we're presently in.''

McCain also talked about his proposals for improving the economy, including lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent, repealing the alternative minimum tax and reining in pork barrel spending for special interest projects.

''The most important thing is to see the economy turn around,'' said McCain supporter Carole Newman, 59. ``I feel like he knows the issue well and can get the job done.''

-- CASEY WOODS

NAPLES -- A crowd of more than 1,000 people crammed into a small plaza next to McCabe's Bar and Grill on Wednesday to hear Rudy Giuliani speak. The impatient crowd swelled an hour before the event began, and Giuliani spoke almost a half hour ahead of schedule. One explanation for the crowd: transplanted New Yorkers.

When the host asked how many New Yorkers there were in the crowd, the cheers said it all.

At the packed event, several people remained undecided.

''I'm sort of split between McCain and Giuliani at this point,'' said Dan Fisher, 23. ``I want to pick someone who can win.''

-- OSCAR CORRAL

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Despite the rain, Mike Huckabee said he couldn't be happier to set foot briefly in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday night because he expects he'll gain some traction in Florida's political hothouse.

''It's good to be in a climate where you don't to put on an overcoat and worry about slipping on the snow and the ice,'' he told about 150 supporters at the city's executive airport.

Huckabee hailed the endorsement of his latest campaign supporter, Davie Mayor Tom Truex, and focused on the one issue that everyone's talking about: the economy.

Huckabee wants to scrap the income-tax system in favor of a national sales tax.

''When we talk about economic recovery,'' he said, ``let's make sure the people who recover first are the people who just want the government to get off their backs and leave them alone.''

-- BREANNE

GILPATRICK

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