ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — President Barack Obama pushed for a higher minimum wage at a re-opened manufacturing plant Wednesday because he says Americans who work full time should not be in poverty.

The president followed up his call for the increase from $7.25 to $9 an hour in Tuesday night's State of the Union address with a trip to North Carolina, attempting to reach voters outside Washington on the plan

Canadian-based Linamar Corp. opened a former Volvo plant in Asheville that had gone dark and rehired some of its workers. Obama touted it as an example of America attracting jobs from overseas.