Former Gov. Mitt Romney said Monday that GOP presidential nominee's John McCain's economic plan is helping him close the gap in pivotal states he must carry to win the presidency on Tuesday.

Speaking via satellite from Toledo, Ohio, on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Romney, a Belmont Republican and 2008 presidential contender, said recent Mason-Dixon polling shows McCain closing ground.

"The Mason-Dixon polls that came out yesterday state by state, show John McCain leading in Ohio, and Florida," Romney said. "Of course, we gotta pick up Pennsylvania as well and then perhaps Virginia, New Hampshire, [and] some combination including Iowa New Mexico, Nevada. There's a pathway to victory for John McCain."

Real Clear Politics' poll averages show that McCain is trailing in several battleground states, including Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Colorado and Nevada - five states that George W. Bush carried in 2004. Nevertheless, Romney noted that if McCain can win in those states, he, like Bush, will win.

"If he goes to those states and he's successful there, why, he's the winner," the former governor said. "I realize that most of the pollsters don't believe it. I remember my race for the nomination, I was ahead, [former New York City Mayor] Rudy Giuliani was ahead and somehow John McCain came out with the prize. So he's done it before."

Romney said he believes McCain's economic message is resonating with voters.

"I think [McCain's] message is really about who really can lead America at a troubled time," Romney said. "Barack Obama's economic plan, frankly will cost America millions of jobs. When you raise taxes on employers, that costs jobs...I think John McCain's plan creates jobs [and] I think Barack Obama's plan costs jobs."