Outlook Bright for Romney in Sunshine State

Jan 26, 05:34 PM

Revved up by a well-received debate performance and rising in the polls, former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney has boomeranged from losses in early voting states to now pose a serious threat to opponents just days before the GOP contest in winner-take-all Florida.

"He is on a roll," said David Johnson, a Tallahassee-based Republican strategist who is unaffiliated with a campaign. "He's got the best organization and best resources in place to keep going even after Florida."

Armed with a formidable statewide campaign infrastructure largely loaned to him by supporters of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Romney is virtually tied or closing in on Arizona Sen. John McCain in Florida, where GOP voters cast ballots Tuesday, according to the latest polls. Meanwhile, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani continues to fade in his must-win state.

Pundits say a recent stock market free fall could not come at a better time for Romney, a successful former venture capitalist who unveiled his proposed economic stimulus package last week and is expected to continue flashing his economic credentials.

Johnson said the economy is a top issue for Floridians, especially retirees, "and for those who say the economy is a big issue, they back Romney."

Brett Doster, who ran President Bush's Florida re-election bid in 2004, went further to say Romney may have shed his "flip-flopper" label as GOP voters realized "that every candidate has fatal flaws."

"There's a huge number of Republicans who love his economic policies and are saying, `You're not perfect, but you qualify,' " Doster said.

Not all observers agree that Romney will ride the economic issue to a Florida win, however.

"If he were running away with the economy we would have seen him pass McCain a lot quicker," said GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio, who believes the GOP contest is down to McCain and Romney.

Johnson said that McCain is still the "institutional favorite" among the GOP, evidenced by the virtual lovefest he is enjoying with Republican contenders except Romney.

Meanwhile, one of the nation's leading evangelical groups has cast a wary eye at Romney, saying in a video voter guide that Mitt Romney has "acknowledged Mormonism is not a Christian faith."

Tom Minnery, from Focus on the Family Action, said yesterday the observation is an interpretation of Romney's December "Faith in America" speech.

A Romney spokesman responded saying the former Bay State governor considers himself Christian.

Originally published by By JESSICA VAN SACK.

(c) 2008 Boston Herald. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. Outlook Bright for Romney in Sunshine State
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