Romney Favored in Florida, but Fails to Convince Jeb Bush

The Republican primary elections in Florida will be won by Mitt Romney. Even among voters who are most sensitive to religious issues, his entrepreneurial past has more appeal.

Again, unless a surprise happens, Mitt Romney will win the Republican primary elections in Florida. The latest polls favored him over Newt Gingrich by more than ten points.

The comeback of the former governor of Massachusetts is the result of two distinct events. The first is the last TV debate, during which Romney defeated his opponent. The second is the exceptional support he is receiving from voters who are most sensitive to religious issues. Elsewhere, evangelists and Catholics are very wary of this follower of the Book of Mormon and of the prophet Joseph Smith. In Florida, however, things are different, and Romney’s entrepreneurial past appeals more to voters than his faith. Therefore, groups of voters who would not normally vote for him now would.

Another element helping Romney to reach his objective is the declining performance of Gingrich, who arrived out of breath in California and, when asked specifically on January 30 about Romney’s possible nomination, responded for the first time that he “would vote for him.” Of course, old Newt would choose anyone who is against Obama, but the fact that he would explicitly admit this on the eve of an important vote such as Florida is symbolic.

However, what did not occur in the past weeks is an alignment between the important local candidates of the party, such as former Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio. Romney has tried in every way to obtain the endorsement of the former president’s brother, but Bush, Jr. decided to remain neutral. The Hispanic senator, Rubio, behaved similarly and, according to many analysts, could be a candidate for the vice-presidency, regardless of whether Romney or Gingrich is nominated.