A Mormon President

A likely opponent of Barack Obama has entered the presidential race from the Republican Party: former governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney. Currently, there are no Republican opponents equal to him in strength, but many consider him to be too untrained as a politician to attract the common voter.

Former governor of Massachusetts, head of the Organizational Committee for Olympics at Salt Lake City in 2002, father of 10 and grandfather of 16, Mitt Romney, a Mormon, has formally announced his intent to run for president at the 2012 election. On Thursday he went to Bittersweet Farm in Stratham, New Hampshire, where, in front of a thousand assembled there, he announced his candidacy. “I am Mitt Romney, I believe in America and I am running for president,” he said as he summed up his 25-minute speech.

“Barack Obama has failed America,” Mr. Romney declared. “In the campaign to come, the American ideals of economic freedom and opportunity need a clear and unapologetic defense, and I intend to make it — because I have lived it.”

In his speech, Romney did not mention any of his potential opponents in the Republican Party, presenting himself as the main fighter against the failing economic policy of the Obama administration. As the Associated Press noted, the Republican addressed his words to all who have lined up behind the party: fiscal conservatives, social conservatives speaking against gay marriage and abortion, evangelicals and libertarians, who hate taxes and “big government.” But he did not use the word “conservatism” even once, and the word “republicans,” like “democrats,” was used only once — as if he were trying to rise above traditional party lines.

Some onlookers are far from raptures. A high-ranking official from the George W. Bush administration, approached by RealClearPolitics.com for comment, noted that Romney came off as a “too practiced and mechanical” political fighter. His jokes seemed to be well-prepared and did not always cause laughter.

However, from a technical point of view, Romney has many advantages. As a former participant in a presidential race, he already knows its internal kitchen well and maintains good relationships with the former sponsors of his election campaign. Besides, he is a successful businessman who possesses significant personal funds for investment into the race.

On Thursday evening, Romney held the largest fundraiser in Boston in recent years, which even current Massachusetts Governor Scott Braun honored with his presence.

But Romney has a weak (from the point of view of conservative republicans) side: During his term as governor of Massachusetts, during 2003-2007, he signed a law on health care reform, which is too similar to what was later proposed by Obama. Two prominent Republicans – former mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani and former governor of Alaska and candidate for Vice-President during the 2008 election, Sarah Palin – did not miss an opportunity to recall this in New Hampshire, where they arrived on the same day. “The reality is that Obamacare and Romneycare are almost exactly the same,” said Giuliani about his fellow party member.

The main intrigue of the campaign, according to The Washington Post analyst Dan Balz, will be the question of whether Romney will be able to build his strategy around the issues in Obama’s economy and track record and not find himself “in constant conflict over his Massachusetts health-care mandate, his conservative credentials, his ‘authenticity’ and questions about whether he can connect with and truly rally the entire Republican Party.” Further direction of the Romney campaign should become clear in the coming weeks, including during the presidential debates among Republicans in New Hampshire on June 13. There has been no official confirmation of participation from Romney, but experts believe that the candidate will not pass up the opportunity of such a platform.

The fact that the debates will be held in New Hampshire and both Giuliani and Palin are in that state is not coincidental. It is there that the first party primaries take place, the real election campaign begins and first defeats are recognized.

Thus, in the last week not a day has passed without a prominent Republican arriving in New Hampshire. Romney will return on Friday. A team is also working in the state for the preliminary analysis of chances for former Utah governor and U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, who will start to tour the state on Friday.

At present time, there aren’t many republican candidates who have entered the race and are ready to equal Romney’s strength: they include libertarian Ron Paul, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and leader of the “Republican Revolution” in 1994 Newt Gingrich, former governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty, and former governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson. According to May polls, Romney is ahead of all of his opponents in New Hampshire by 20 to 30 percent, while four years ago he lost the primaries in this state to John McCain by 37 to 31 percent. The political director from Romney’s 2008 campaign, Jamie Burnett, is confident in the win of his former boss: “He can’t manage expectations; he can’t lower expectations. He has to win.” In a University of New Hampshire poll, conducted May 18-22, Romney, who has 32 percent of votes, is followed by Paul with 9 percent, who has no chances of being elected, and Gingrich with 6 percent. In addition, four marginal politicians have entered the race for republican nomination: Herman Cain, Jimmy McMillan, Andy Martin, and gay activist and political consultant to presidents Ford, Reagan and H.W., Fred Karger.

The list of possible Republican nominees may increase significantly. Texas governor Rick Perry, his colleague from New Jersey Chris Christie, and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann may all enter the presidential race. The latter plans to participate in the New Hampshire debates on June 13. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum should also soon make a decision on entering the race.