Nevada Was No Test for the Romney Campaign
Mitt Romney has won the Nevada caucuses, but it really shouldn't mean much.
He was the only candidate --besides Ron Paul -- to sink significant time and money into the state, where he enjoyed at least one built-in advantage, thanks to Nevada's sizable Mormon population.
The Romney campaign will now talk up the victory as another "gold medal." And he campaign will point out that their candidate has now won three early contests (Wyoming and Michigan were the others) and will proclaim that the G.O.P. race is really about delegates -- meaning that Romney, with a string of first- and second-place showings, is in good shape.
These claims are somewhat problematic, though. The early contests on both sides are about momentum, not delegates. History shows that the first series of contests, in both parties, serves to winnow the field and produce a front-runner, who then gobbles up delegates in the later contests. Winning small states that no other candidates seriously contest -- as is the case for Romney in Nevada and Wyoming -- doesn't mean a lot.
In the early going, candidates are generally allowed to pick their fights. For instance, Fred Thompson has long-maintained that he would make his stand in South Carolina and that the states that precede it don't matter to him. The strategy may seem ridiculous, but the media has refused to declare him dead -- even after barely registering in the early states -- until the South Carolina results are in. If he doesn't post a strong showing, he will be officially written off. The same is true for Rudy Giuliani in Florida, and the same was true for John McCain in New Hampshire.
Originally, Romney identified Iowa and New Hampshire as his "statement" venues. He'd post wins in the lead-off states, become the front-runner, and then watch the later states fall like dominos. But he flunked his own test, finishing second in both states. Only then did his campaign start talking about delegates and silver and gold medals.
Romney's goal today is to preserve the burst of momentum he received from his Michigan victory to stay viable for Florida, which will vote on January 29. So his campaign is playing up Nevada and downplaying expectations in South Carolina.
He can do better by exceeding expectations in South Carolina tonight, a state that has been vigorously contested by most of the G.O.P. field. If so, it would be a meaningful development for Romney. But winning Nevada, where his main competition was Ron Paul, proves little.
The way Mitt Romney is running his campaign is ingenious. I am an avid chess-player and I am stuck to the tube and blogs to see how this will play out. Romney is destroying the old corrupt political system which plays out every four years for as long as we all can remember. Presidential candidates were ultimately decided by cloak-room politicians predetermining the win by selecting the early contest states that must be won for a winner to emerge. Some may say Romney is cheating by not playing "fair" by the old school rules; however, he is simply playing the cards in his favor. He is running his campaign in all 50 states giving the people of every state a voice in electing their next Presidential candidate. This is Democracy at it's finest. I love it! I have heard too often people complain how they never even got to vote for their candidate because of the way the caucases are set up. It's brilliant and amazingly enough it appears to be working. Romney is winning by a large margin. No wonder Romney is so respected he is always taking such innovative approaches to everything he does.
In my own opinion, I really hope Floridians give Mitt Romney a chance.
We are headed for an all out recession, far worse than we saw in the 80's because of the housing and loan scandals due to scandalous lenient lending practices since 2003.
There are only about .000001% of Americans as qualified as Mitt Romney to lead the American Corporation to economic prosperity (one of them is Warren Buffet but he's not on the ballot).
Mitt Romney is the only candidate the media takes seriously. When they ask him what he would do to turn the nation around they don't expect sound-bites, because they know he has the answers. Even Jim Kramer respects him enough to bring him on his show and ask those tough questions. People that are really knowledgeable all respect the guy. Do you know who really was behind the surge in Iraq plan? It came from the Generals fighting the war in Iraq. We had so many problems with the war because Donald Rumsfeld was trying to micro-manage the war. Romney knows business-101. He knows that you never micro-manage anything. You bring the best qualified people together (which would include mostly the military Generals of course) and chart a course and get the job done, and he has a very strong record that backs it up.
I see great times ahead with that kind of leadership, the roaring 90's all over again but better because of no bubble at the end due to improper management of our economy. Being an average American, I have already pledged my money to his campaign, and I know that was the best investment I made in my life.
We don't have to concede to China to overtake us and replace us as the world super-power in 10 years. We can vote Romney for President!!!
GO MITT GO!!!
RE: Rush Limbaugh is talking up Mitt Romney.
That is because Rush does what those of the Wall Street Journal & “Some” of the Establishment tell him to do.
That has been Rush “MO” for years. Establishment and “WSJ” cannot trust the voting public to make the decisions of the Republican Party.
BTW…On the other side, Sean Hannity is “Totally Clueless” in his decisions. Hannity is still waiting for Jean Pirro to run against Clinton in last years US Senate Race, Bill Weld to run Governor…..This year Hannity is crowning Rudy as next President…
Dick Morris is wrong 50% of the time in his perdictions & Roger Stone gives you the answers after the fact and never goes on the limb before hand.
In short they all talk in the same circles as they all go to the same receptions. They all come out with the same answers all the time. I have seen this many, many times at some of the same Manhattan cocktail receptions. Same crowd night in and night out. Same, same circles with all the same, same answers. C-L-U-E-L-E-S-S
One of the smartest annalists in politics is Pat Buchanan & Chris Dodd. Forget their political affiliation for now…..They are fair with annalist with both sides of the elections.
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns
I would like to volunteer at my local Romney headquarters but can't find out where it is or how to contact anyone about it.
Reno, Nevada
please post any info you may have about this.
Thank you