Romney Strategery
We heard some buzz about this last night, but this morning's front-page story in the Tennessean about the hometown boy's big win also includes some interesting nuggets on how MA Gov. Mitt Romney was able to score his impressive second-place finish.
Romney, very quietly, worked with some Volunteer state supporters to bring in some college students from Union University. The school, which, btw, is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, is in Jackson, TN, in between Memphis and Nashville.
Also note in the story the efforts of Romney's Southern backers to cast him as the best candidate in the field for evangelicals.
That is not entirely accurate. Neither Romney, nor anyone affiliated with him, had any contact with the Tennessee group. It was pure grassroots. One of the organizers was quoted here saying they had no contact with the Romney organization.
As far as I am concerned, Romney was the real winner at the SRLC. His staff downplayed the event and everything I read online and elswehere prior was about the "Mormon" thing. And yet here in the evangelical south he was the #2...where was Allen?
Personally, believing that Frist was going to take 1st anyway...I was shocked. We need to take a 2nd, 3rd and maybe a 4th good look at Romney. I think he can beat any Dem in the general. The question now is can he win in the Rep primaries?
Yesterday's vote seems to say yes. What do others out there think?
Despite assurances to the contrary to the Americans for Dr. Rice team by Chuck Todd, The Hotline editor in charge of the SRLC poll, Dr. Rice's name was no where to be found on this weekend's much ballyhooed straw poll. Furthermore, her exclusion was not even mentioned until the poll was released, preventing the Condi supporters present from mounting an effective "write-in" effort. Chuck Todd, The Hotline editor, tells AFR that it was the Tennessee Republican Party that took Condi off of the SRLC poll. Why would they do this? What is Frist afraid of...being beat by a woman!!
I don't care what the CW is, Evangelical Christians will never - never - support a Mormon for president. That might sound harsh, but it is the reality of today's Republican Party.
Evangelical Christians consider the LDS to nothing more than a cult, and a dangerous one at that. Their common ground on social issues (abortion, homosexuality) will not be enough to lift Romney over this barrier.
If Mitt Romney gets the Republican nomination for president in 2008, a third-party candidate will emerge from the Christian fundamentalist base and shatter the GOP coalition into shards.
The Democratic candidate, no matter who she is, will slide into office on greased skids.
I'm a little bit lost so please help. I am a GOP primary voter in Southeast GA (Charlie Norwood's district) and like me, my county is pretty Republican. Can someone tell me how Mitt Romney is going to convince folks like me to support him in 2008? I'd rather see a liberal democrat elected President that a liberal Republican.
I did not hear Romney's speech but there were a lot of Romney hats being worn, as ther were Frist. Of the speeches I heard, JC Watts was clearly the best and was received very well by the crowd. McCain did spoil the poll a little by pushing the write-in for Bush. Had he not done that he may have come in second or third.
Having been impressed by Mitt Romney since before his Olympic days, I am encouraged by the response at SRLC. He is an incredible speaker every conference attendee could feel the excitment he brings to the room. Yes he is a Morman. Five minutes with him and you are convinced this is the guy and nothing else matters. I agree with Doug, take another look- take two or three- this TRUE Conservative deserves more than a religious label.