Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts announced Monday that he is forming a presidential exploratory committee as he readies a second bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Romney, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, made his announcement in a web video recorded in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first presidential primary and which is crucial to his campaigns success in 2012. Polls have shown Romney a strong favorite in that New England state and he is at or near the top of most national polls looking at the Republican race.
The son of George Romney, who served as governor of Michigan during the 1960s and as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Richard Nixon, Mitt Romney focused on his economic record on Monday, noting his service in the private sector.
It is time that we put America back on a course of greatness, with a growing economy, good jobs and fiscal discipline in Washington, noted Romney on Monday.
First seeking elected office in 1994 when he unsuccessfully looked to defeat U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Romney led the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games in 2002 before being elected governor of Massachusetts in 2002. During his tenure in office, Romney signed off on the states health-care law, mandating fees and penalties to state residents who did not purchase health care. Critics have argued that the law Romney backed at the state level is very similar to the federal health-care law supported by President Barack Obama. Conservative critics have slammed Romney for holding liberal positions on social issues, including abortion and gay rights, when he sought office in Massachusetts, before switching his positions when he planned to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. He did not seek a second term as governor.
Romney stumbled out of the gate when he sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, losing in an upset to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Iowa caucus. Romney also placed second in New Hampshire to U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona who won the Granite State back in 2000. However, Romney did score a number of victories in Wyoming, Michigan, Maine, Nevada, Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Utah before dropping out of the race to back McCain.
In Florida, Romney, who had the backing of many prominent Republicans, placed second to McCain back in 2008. The former Massachusetts governor has remained active, endorsing Republican candidates all across Florida. Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said that he would back Romney if he made a second stab at the presidential nomination. Romney topped a poll from Mason-Dixon Polling released earlier on Monday.
Activist Fred Karger has already announced that he will run for the Republican nomination. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana and businessman Herman Cain have, like Romney, already launched exploratory committees. Other possible candidates include Huckabee, former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, businessman Donald Trump, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore of Alabama, former Gov. George Pataki of New York, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and former Gov. Bob Riley of Alabama.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
