Des Moines, Iowa — At the Hotel Fort Des Moines, where the Romney campaign is camped and awaiting results, supporters have begun to stream in. Among them is Romney endorsee Sen. John Thune, who has appeared in the ads Mitt Romney has run in Iowa.
With the results indicating that Romney will almost certainly be in the top three, Thune says that result “puts him in a good position going into New Hampshire and South Carolina.”
“What it does show is that there are a lot of people here in Iowa who recognize that he has the best shot of beating President Obama. And I think in the end, that’s what moved a lot of voters in his directions,” Thune added.
Thune also predicted that Republicans, with an eye toward picking a viable candidate for the general election and someone who could be trusted to turn the economy around, would begin coalescing around Romney. “While they may be attracted to other candidates right now, as the race narrows, I think you’re going to see a lot of people moving his direction,” he remarked.
He said has no regrets about not running himself. “He’s the right guy for the times,” Thune said of Romney, “and I’m happy to be here to help.”
But Romney is currently standing at 24% - not coincidentally, the exact same percentage he has been at for seemingly forever while the fortunes of other candidates have so radically shifted. Contra Thune, it would seem that the one thing voters have not changed their mind about is their preference - or lack of it - for Romney.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is the same John Thune that provided an early endorsement of that stellar, rock-ribbed 'conservative' John McCain in the last presidential election cycle. At best, Thune is a politician with his finger in the wind, unencumbered by principle, conscience or scruple. At worst, Thune thinks he can manipulate Romney to Thune's advantage. Thune's endorsement has convinced me that Romney, whom I supported in 2008, is the wrong candidate for the GOP.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSen. Thune is top notch. He is outstanding.
The Caucus is always amazing. Truly fascinating.
No doubt, Rick (S), Newt, etc., are not electable in the General Election. They would easily hand Obama a reelection. (Rick's regretful comments which invoked race this Sunday, was a sincere example of his weakness, a recipe for disaster sinking all for 2012).
Rick Santorum did a lot of ground work in Iowa which was clearly worthwhile. He will be able to grow his brand very well now. A least he is a vast improvement over Gingrich, a tired Beltway Insider. This is welcome, but Gingrich is bent on self interest and destruction.
The question remains, the fan fare which jumped from Trump, Bachmann, Perry, Gingrich, now pushing Rick? Are they more motivated by the fashionable push, or in defeating Obama?
It really is interesting. Even though Romney is doing better than expected in Iowa than anyone envisioned a few months ago in the tally right now, he will have to make a claim in NH and beyond.
The competition remains a very unique experience, truly amazing - American Politics. But if we on the sound side are serious about defeating Obama, Romney is clearly the best.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Electability" is what gave us McCain.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMaybe I'm just a little slow on this, but aren't most people who do well in elections considered to be electable?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSenator Thune, if Romney is so electable, then why didn't he win? This is a question all Romney supporters should be asking themselves.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI may be a product of the public education system in Tennessee, but isn't Thune a Romney "endorser" and not a Romney "endorsee?" After all, Thune endorsed Romney, not the other way around.
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