Trouble for Romney? '08 Backers Keep Quiet

Former governor has little support in Iowa, South Carolina
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 28, 2011 1:05 PM CST
Trouble for Romney? '08 Backers Keep Quiet
Mitt Romney in a file photo from November in Dallas.   (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Mitt Romney may be “the nearest thing the GOP has to a frontrunner,” but the path ahead of him is looking thorny: many of the key supporters of his 2008 campaign haven’t committed to supporting him in 2012, writes Jonathan Martin in Politico. In fact, some former backers in the important states of Iowa and South Carolina appear to be considering other options.

Major former supporters who as yet haven’t backed Romney include senators Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Jim DeMint of South Carolina—co-chairs of his 2008 campaign—as well as South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. “I haven’t talked to him in a long time,” noted Romney’s former Iowa campaign chair; his former South Carolina campaign boss said he didn’t plan to back the ex-governor. Indeed, Romney “has no presence” in the state, said a state senator, adding that “the key to winning the nomination is still winning South Carolina.”
(More Mitt Romney stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X