That goes for President Barack Obama, too, said the 64-year-old farmer of soybeans, corn and wheat. Johnson, a Republican, said Newt Gingrich is the only candidate making any sense heading into the state’s primary this weekend.

“Most of them are living in a make-believe world. People have to work for a paycheck every day, every week — they don’t understand that, they don’t feel the pain,” Johnson said. “Newt is probably the smartest. He can go toe-to-toe with Obama as far as explaining the issues.”

Millions of Americans remain underemployed and unemployed following a recession that widened economic divides in the U.S. Hoping to win support, Romney and Santorum are both touting the American dream of economic mobility, while criticizing Obama for, they claim, encouraging class warfare.

Both of the leading remaining Republican candidates support cutting taxes and regulations, aiming to woo constituents who want to do better for themselves and their kids, and are worried that government spending and rules are out of control. While the conservative candidates don’t overtly raise the issue of income equality in the same way Obama does, the Republicans in their policies and rhetoric aim to appeal to voters with those concerns.

“In just about every speech they give examples of small businesses trying to do something and being blocked by government regulations,” said Lawrence Jacobs, a political scientist at the University of Minnesota. “The Republicans are not whistling Dixie here – they are sinking their teeth into very public angst about government being too large.”

After winning the Illinois Republican primary on Tuesday, Romney spoke about the American dream, opportunity and economic freedom.

“Economic freedom is the only force that has consistently succeeded in lifting people out of poverty,” Romney said. “But today, Americans who want to start a new business or launch a new venture don’t see promise and opportunity. They see government standing in their way.”

To strengthen the economy, Romney has said that if elected he would work on free-trade agreements, move to cut certain Obama-administration regulations, and order a sanction on China for unfair-trade practices, among other actions. Regarding Social Security, he has suggested raising the eligibility age as an option.

Looking longer term, his economic plan also supports lower tax rates on a broader base “so that taxation becomes an instrument for promoting economic growth.” Romney also supports cutting corporate tax rates.

Meanwhile, Santorum has said he would toss Obama administration regulations with an economic burden of more than $100 million, negotiate free-trade agreements, and cut means-tested entitlement programs by 10%, among other actions. He would also lower personal income and corporate tax rates.

The country needs “a renewed focus on creating opportunity,” Santorum wrote in a January South Carolina newspaper column.

“No longer should it be harder for people to succeed economically than it was for their parents. No longer should upward mobility be better in parts of Europe than in America,” Santorum wrote. “I don’t believe that poverty is a permanent condition. How do we effectively address poverty in rural and urban America? We promote jobs, marriage, quality education and access to capital and embrace the supports of civil society.”

In a speech in Detroit, however, Santorum made pains to stress he wasn’t for equal results.

“There is income inequality in America, there always has been, and hopefully, and I do say that, there always will be. Why? Because people rise to different levels of success based on what they contribute to society and to the marketplace, and that’s as it should be.”