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Romney's Iowa Gain Turns to Loss
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) scored something of a coup last month in the 2008 talent competition when he signed on Matt Elliott -- an Iowa Republican operative -- as a consultant to his Commonwealth PAC last month.
Mitt Romney is giving up the governor's mansion for the presidential campaign trail. (AP File Photo)
Prior to joining Romney's world, Elliott was the director of the Iowa GOP's legislative campaign operation -- a not insignificant job given the 25-25 split in the state Senate and Republicans' narrow 51-49 edge in the state House.
Romney's boost was short-lived, however, as Elliott is severing ties to Commonwealth PAC to make a bid for the state House, according to an informed Republican strategist. A call to Elliott's cell phone today wasn't returned (this post will be updated if I hear back).
Elliott's arrival and departure illustrate the level of behind-the-scenes jockeying for staffers in the key early voting states (Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina) among the 2008 presidential aspirants.
Romney, who will leave office at the end of this year after a single term, has been perhaps the most active in this most insider of games. Through Commonwealth PAC he has sprinkled donations throughout the early caucus and primary states and kept an active travel schedule as he begins to build a national profile.
Romney has also been making moves within his inner circle as he recently parted ways with Mike Murphy, the media consultant who had been a senior strategist during Romney's 2002 gubernatorial race. Trent Wisecup, a member of Murphy's firm, will take a leave in the spring to manage Commonwealth PAC's activities full-time.
Expect Romney's political activities to pick up even more as he nears the end of his time as Massachusetts's chief executive. Make no mistake: He is running for president.
By Chris Cillizza |
February 2, 2006; 1:34 PM ET
| Category:
Eye on 2008
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Get This Widget >>
Posted by: FirstState | February 7, 2006 6:47 PM
Romney? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Ya know, a bunch of hippies ran a pig for president back in 1968. Maybe we should start discussing a pig's chances for winning the presidency in 2008, as a pig has about the same odds of becoming president as Mitt Romney, Bill Frist, George Allen, or Evan Bayh. We might as well discuss the likeliness of a Kucinich/Sharpton ticket in 2008 while we're at it.
Posted by: ErrinF | February 3, 2006 5:50 PM
Republicans of all states and races will be going the way of the Dodo. Corruption, Bribes, Influence peddling. Wars of aggression, Leaks, Spying on political adversaries, a crook for a president.
Dream on...
Posted by: Liberal Patriot | February 3, 2006 10:37 AM
Here is a link to Stu Rothenberg's column outlining three hurdles Romney has to overcome.
http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2006/01/romneys-bid-for-white-house-looks.html
And if he wants to convince pro-life primary voters, he may want to adjust how he talks about the issue.
http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2006/01/romneys-abortion-code-needs-updating.html
Posted by: RPR | February 3, 2006 12:33 AM
I agree that Romney may have big trouble in the South but I don't really understand why. This week there have been reports of how well received pro-choice, pro-gay rights, former mayor Guiliani has been received in the conservative south. Wouldn't it make more sense for the south to support someone like Romney who shares their conservative beliefs even if they may not care for his personal brand of Christianity?
Posted by: Bill | February 2, 2006 8:07 PM
How can Romney win in the south? The Southern Baptists must be a big block of votes there and they claim that Mormons aren't Christians.
Posted by: Don Wecker | February 2, 2006 7:39 PM
Don't count out the Mormon vote yet. While Utah is locked up for probably any Republican, Mormons are all over the nation including important potential swing states of Colorado and Arizona. I think Romney's biggest problem comes from evangelicals in the South. Other than that he could make a formidable candidate. Especially since he could probably generate lots of support from moderate republicans and independents in places like Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconson.
Posted by: Don | February 2, 2006 6:56 PM
ROMNEY IS THE "ONLY" REPUBLICAN THAT CAN GET ELECTED IN 2008....WE NEED TO START FINDING A MIDDLE GROUND IN AMERICA IF WE WANT TO STAY THE MAJORITY PARTY...
Posted by: ROD | February 2, 2006 5:53 PM
Romney is both an empty suit and a "Brezhnev Republican."
Posted by: Intrepid Liberal | February 2, 2006 5:15 PM
I believe the earlier post re Romney's status as a carpetbagger in Massachusetts is misplaced. Romney has actually spent most of his adult life in Boston, hasn't he? (And he grew up mostly in Michigan, son to Gov. George.) He went to Utah (from Massachusetts) in the last stages of planning the 2002 Olympics (as the man brought to the rescue following the bid scandal), and he went immediately back home to Massachusetts (to plan his campaign for governor) once the Olympics were over.
Posted by: David | February 2, 2006 5:14 PM
Romney is the governor of the first state in the union to allow gay marriage. Given the power of the Christian Right in GOP primaries, Romney's pursuit of the nomination is a fool's errand. He should have stayed in Utah--where he lived. This foray into Massachusetts will prove his undoing. I can't say the carpetbagger doesn't deserve his comeuppance.
Posted by: ElSid | February 2, 2006 4:08 PM
Go Romney!
Posted by: Brian | February 2, 2006 3:40 PM
Romney will have a serious shot at winning the nomination. If Brownback runs, that pushes Allen and Frist to the ideological right from which they won't recover in the delegate rich states of Michigan, New York, and California. Not to mention, the 2000 McCain states are changing their rules so that the primaries are now closed--McCain cannot count on the support of Independents and Democrats this time around. Romney may just be the last man standing because of his business and security credentials, since the race for the Southern/religious contingent is expected to be a difficult contest for Sens. Frist, Allen, and Brownback.
Posted by: J. | February 2, 2006 3:24 PM
He can run all he wants to that doesn't mean he'll get anywhere. How could the GOP hope to win with a candidate who won't win his home state, and the only other benefit he brings is a strong mormon vote (which by the way I think the Rebpublicans have Utah locked up for the forseeable future). Romney will get crushed in the south by folks like Allen and McCain. He is almost onknown in the middle of the country, and now he can't even keep staffers on board. I seriously think you are overestimating his chances for 2008.
Posted by: Andy R | February 2, 2006 3:17 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Romney has the potential to take NH, Delaware, Michigan, and run close in SC and AZ. Those are 5 of the earliest primaries. In the general, he pushes Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona & NM out of toss-up range. He's a contender. And as far as the evangelicals are concerned, when it comes down to it, they know he's on their side in the culture wars. Allen won't win his home state against Warner and Giuliani will lose NY to Hillary.