Despite losing Louisiana's Republican presidential primary to Rick Santorum on Saturday, Mitt Romney looked to rally conservatives behind his candidacy on Monday as he unveiled the support of three leading conservatives.
Veteran Florida Republican leader Al Cardenas, formerly with the Republican Party of Florida and now the chairman of the American Conservative Union, announced he is backing Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.
Im extraordinarily honored to earn Als support, said Romney. Al has been a force in the conservative movement for many years. There are few people I know that share a deeper belief in the principles of smaller government and American exceptionalism than him. I look forward to his counsel in the months to come as we look to restore Americas promise.
Throughout this campaign I have heard from many candidates on how they are uniquely qualified to get our country back on track, Cardenas said. While I am proud of all of them, I know that one man stands head and shoulders above the rest. That man is Mitt Romney. I have seen him up close for many years and I know he is the conservative we need to lead our country. Throughout his life, he has shown proven experience in job creation, balancing budgets, and turning around troubled enterprises. Im also quite proud of his vision for the future that he has outlined, including his plan for more jobs, lower taxes, and less government. America needs Mitt Romney and I am pleased to stand with him.
Romney also unveiled the support of two conservative favorites in Congress -- U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and U.S. House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Lee became a favorite of the tea party movement in the 2010 cycle when he defeated longtime incumbent U.S. Bob Bennett for the Republican nomination in Utah. On Monday, Lee announced he is backing Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.
If Republicans want to repeal President Obamas unconstitutional health-care plan, restore limited government and individual liberty, they must unite behind Mitt Romney, Lee said on Monday. He is the one candidate who will be able to win in November and implement policies that conservatives like me have been fighting for in the Senate. Conservatives cant afford to allow President Obama to have another four years in office. That is why I support Mitt Romney and urge my fellow constitutional conservatives to support him as the nominee of our party.
Mike has been fighting on the front lines to repeal Obamacare and restore fiscal sanity in Washington, Romney said. I will need the support and hard work of leaders like him if we are going to be successful in shrinking the federal government and restoring Americas promise of freedom and prosperity. I am honored to have Mikes support and look forward to his advice in the coming months.
On Monday, Romney announced that McCarthy, the California congressman who serves as the majority whip in the U.S. House, will serve as his campaign chairman in the Golden State. During the 2008 election cycle, McCarthy, along with now-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., founded the Young Guns campaign launched by the National Republican Congressional Committee to recruit GOP candidates.
Kevin has been a leading voice in the effort to cut spending, reduce burdensome regulations, and make government more accountable to the taxpayers, said Romney in a statement sent out on Monday morning. I share this vision for our country and look forward to working with Kevin on these issues so that we can fix our economy and get the country back on track.
After a long and grueling primary, it is clear that Mitt Romney is the best candidate to face President Obama and fix the mess of his one and only term, McCarthy said. Republicans need to unite and work together if we plan to take back the White House and put in place policies that will get our nation back on a path to prosperity by reducing taxes, shrinking government, and empowering the private sector. I am proud to support Mitt Romney and urge my fellow Republicans to do the same.
The Santorum camp looked to cast doubt about Romneys conservatism on Monday. As the Supreme Court kicked off three days of oral arguments on a constitutional challenge launched by Florida and 25 other states to the federal health-care law Obama championed in 2010, the Santorum team looked to remind voters about Romneys support of a health-care law during his tenure as governor of Massachusetts.
"While government mandates may be fashionable to moderates like Mitt Romney, government mandates have never been fashionable to true conservatives, Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said Monday. There is no escaping that fact that Governor Romney was publicly advising President Obama to follow his example of forcing people to buy health care in Massachusetts.And if we nominate a candidate who forfeits all credibility on this huge issue, then we forfeit our chances in this huge election."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
