[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
(s)Elections See other (s)Elections Articles Title: Michigan strategy already shaping up as candidates head to NH LANSING — Michigan is shaping up as a make-or-break state for Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain as the three gear up to fiercely compete in the state’s Jan. 15 Republican presidential primary. The focus shifts to Michigan next Wednesday, the day after the New Hampshire primary. Huckabee beat Romney by nine points in Thursday’s Iowa caucuses, making New Hampshire increasingly critical for Romney, who had based his campaign strategy on winning Iowa and New Hampshire. But the former Massachusetts governor also may need to win his native state of Michigan if he’s to remain viable, especially if he doesn’t win New Hampshire. A Romney stumble could doom his chance of doing well in South Carolina, Florida and the more than two dozen states that vote on Feb. 5. A third-place finish for McCain or Huckabee could be similarly devastating. Romney has laid the groundwork for a win, setting up a campaign headquarters in Farmington Hills and hiring a staff February. He began running television ads in the state weeks ago and had raised the most money from Michigan donors through the third quarter of 2007, bringing in $1.8 million compared to $899,000 for McCain, who got the second-largest amount of cash. Romney’s hoping voters will buy his message that he’s the best candidate to help the state turn around its ravaged economy while fondly remembering his father, former auto executive George Romney, who served as Michigan’s governor from 1963-69. Supporter Dave Camp, a Republican congressman from Midland, said today in a conference call with reporters that Romney has a strong organization in Michigan and a message that will resonate in the state. “He grew up here, and his experience inside and outside of government really lend themselves to the problems we’re facing,” Camp said. “He will give the people of Michigan a voice in the White House.” Camp declined to call Michigan a “must win” state for Romney. But he agreed Michigan voters could play a large role in determining who the eventual GOP nominee will be. McCain has rebuilt his Michigan campaign after having to retrench earlier in 2007 because of fundraising problems. He won the state’s 2000 GOP primary, helped by independents and Democrats who may again vote Republican in the Jan. 15 primary because so many Democratic candidates have taken their names off the Michigan ballot. McCain, whose campaign headquarters is in Grandville, already has lined up more than a dozen public appearances in Michigan starting Wednesday and began running a television ad on Thursday. Chuck Yob, who co-chairs McCain’s Michigan campaign, said today that the Arizona senator connects with Michigan voters concerned about safety and security, whether that’s protecting the country from terrorist attacks or helping displaced manufacturing workers gain training and new jobs in a tough economy. McCain “really didn’t have much grass roots with him in 2000” when he beat George W. Bush in Michigan’s primary, Yob said, but things have changed. “Right now, we’ve got conservatives, moderates, all kinds of people. ... Even today, we got new people coming on board.” Huckabee doesn’t have any paid staff or campaign operation in Michigan, but his message and personality are sure to attract conservative and evangelical Christian voters the same way they did in Iowa. “The same coalition of social conservatives, Fair Tax advocates, and blue-collar working families who voted for Governor Huckabee in Iowa also lives here in Michigan,” said Huckabee supporter Gary Glenn. “Governor Huckabee doesn’t have to win Michigan to do well, but if he actually beats Romney in his native state, that will be a devastating blow to Romney’s prospects, especially if Mitt comes into Michigan not having won anywhere else.” James Muffett, head of Lansing-based Citizens for Traditional Values, agrees that Huckabee will appeal to many of Michigan’s evangelical Christians. “They found someone who really does speak their language and who does articulate the set of values they believe in very well. And he has that kind of Reaganesque communication skills that help him,” Muffett said. But “there are still huge amounts of people among the evangelicals who are still divided between Huckabee, Romney and McCain,” Muffett added. “The reason they’re split is because each of the candidates have good qualities, but all of them have things that give people pause. ... It’s a very divided group of people out there right now.” Giuliani could do well among the state’s moderate Republicans and those who like his record as New York mayor. He has set up an office in Oakland County, although he hasn’t done much campaigning in Michigan, preferring to concentrate on later states. Ron Paul’s campaign opened up offices last month in Detroit and Flint and named coordinators for the upper and lower peninsulas. Fred Thompson has not focused on Michigan in his campaign.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: angle (#0)
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
I hate to say it, but I doubt many people will be watching Michigan. Or my state, Illinois. The war will be fought in smaller states, and Romney is sinking fast. He will not win NH, and he has no chance in SC. He MIGHT win Nevada. It's way early, but it looks to me like McCain is going to win and then get plowed under by Obama.
Honi soit qui mal y pense
|
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||