WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. employers added 171,000 jobs in October and hiring was stronger over the previous two months than first thought. The unemployment rate inched up to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent in September because the work force grew.
The Labor Department's last look at hiring before Tuesday's election sketched a picture of a job market that is gradually gaining momentum after nearly stalling in the spring.
Since July, the economy has created an average of 173,000 jobs a month, up from 67,000 a month from April through June.
Still, President Barack Obama will face voters with the highest unemployment rate of any incumbent since Franklin Roosevelt. The rate ticked up because more people without jobs started looking for work. The government only counts people as unemployed if they are actively searching.
U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) issued the following statement:
"Far too many Nevadans remain out of work, underemployed, or have simply given up looking for work. Meanwhile, our nation's economy is barely growing and recovery remains fragile. My number one priority continues to be economic growth and getting Nevadans back to work. As I travel across the Silver State, it's clear that not enough is being done to move this nation in the right direction or help the middle class and seniors on fixed incomes. It's time to move beyond the bailouts and failed stimulus plans that have done little to help Nevada. Both Democrats and Republicans need to come together to develop an aggressive pro-growth plan that will create the jobs Americans need. It is past time for Washington to start working for the American people instead of against them," said Senator Dean Heller.
U.S. Senate candidate Shelley Berkley released the following statement:
"While I'm encouraged to see President Obama's progress in strengthening our economy and twenty-five straight months of job growth, there is still much more work to be done. Far too many across the state of Nevada continue to struggle each day to find a job and pay the bills, and that's why my top priority has always been to create good-paying jobs here at home and put the middle-class first. I'll continue to work with President Obama to make Nevada the clean energy jobs capital of the country, to give our small businesses the help they need to hire and grow, and to make sure all families are able to provide for their children while saving for the future. Unfortunately, instead of working with us to create jobs, Washington Republicans like Senator Dean Heller, Paul Ryan, and Mitt Romney are committed to a Wall Street first, middle-class last agenda that helps the wealthy few, Big Oil companies, and other Wall Street special interests at the expense of hardworking Nevada families."
Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement on the October employment report.
"Today's job numbers make one thing clear: President Obama's policies are moving our economy forward, creating more jobs than expected in October and more than 5 million over the past 32 months.
"We have a great deal more to do and too many Nevadans are still out of work. But this recovery would be even stronger if Republicans had decided to work with Democrats, instead of obstructing at every turn. As we look to the challenges facing us in the coming months, I hope that my Republican colleagues will re-evaluate their strategy, stop trying to appease the Tea Party, and instead choose to help all Americans by reaching across the aisle to get things done. The American people expect us to put politics aside and do the right thing for middle-class families, and they deserve nothing less from their elected leaders."
