The White House press office has been eager to share statements of support with reporters, emailing dozens beginning just after the president finished speaking. Some came from the usual suspects — the Center for American Progress, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), labor unions — but one in the barrage was unexpected, a lukewarm statement from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican.

First, the White House said in its subject line that Snyder “backs” the president’s plan, but sent a corrected version of that line 45 minutes later: “Michigan Governor Rick Snyder on the American Jobs Act.” The statement itself drew parallels between Michigan’s policies and Obama’s proposals, and urged action from Washington.

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Cantor and Boehner are more ambivalent, but say they are open to some of the proposed tax cuts and small business programs. Two hours after Obama left town, Cantor appeared at a cement mixing facility near Richmond’s airport to say how “excited” he was that Obama chose his district for the “first place for his jobs tour after his speech.”

“I said to him, I hope that he hears the same kind of concerns that I hear every time I come home in that people want to see results in this country, they want to see America get back to work,” Cantor said.

While Obama picked an exclusive private university for his backdrop, Cantor chose two cement trucks, a towering mixing facility owned by Titan America and a theme of cutting government regulation.

“What we have said as Republicans in the House majority is that we want to join together with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle, and we want to begin to make it easier for operations like this to succeed,” Cantor told the group.

One item Obama is pushing for is an extension of the payroll tax cut. Cantor sounded optimistic about supporting the measure but indicated it might have to come alongside measures the GOP wants.

“Republicans are never for allowing folks – or forcing them – to pay higher taxes,” Cantor said. “We believe the government should be able to operate within its means, and to fix the system before it asks people for more money. So in that regard, I would say we supported that provision. … But we also need to be focused on jobs and incentives for business to create jobs. That payroll tax for the employee doesn’t necessarily fall into that category. It does fall into the category of working people having some relief.”

Virginia’s Seventh District is red country. But a road two miles from this mixing plant was fixed by the stimulus Republicans love to hate.

Ritchie Faltz, a 52-year-old truck driver for Titan whose rig sat directly behind Cantor, volunteered to come hear Cantor speak. He doesn’t support Cantor — he doesn’t even live in the district — but agrees with him on a host of issues. He wants regulations cut, so the company he works for can thrive.

But Faltz, who drives a limousine on the weekends, also wants to see a load of spending on infrastructure.

He was skeptical of it all.

“If they couldn’t get together on the debt ceiling, how can they help us get going again?” Faltz asked. “Do they even see us?”

Sherman reported from Henrico, Va. Thrush reported from Washington. Jennifer Epstein contributed to this report.