Can Anything Stop Mitt Romney? >
Mitt Romney Is Looking Past the Primaries
As his New Hampshire speech shows, Mitt Romney knows the nomination contest is over
January 11, 2012
About Fergus Cullen:
Fergus Cullen is principal of Fergus Cullen Communications, a research, advocacy, and public affairs consulting company started in 1998. Fergus was chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party in 2007-08, the youngest state chairman in the country when elected at age 34.
Did you notice what former Gov. Mitt Romney didn't say on Tuesday night? He didn't use the words "South Carolina."
Traditionally on the night of the New Hampshire primary, every candidate pledges to continue the nomination fight in South Carolina, Nevada, Florida, and beyond. That's what Rep. Ron Paul, former Gov. Jon Huntsman, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Sen. Rick Santorum, and even Gov. Rick Perry did yesterday.
[See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates.]
Romney's victory speech was a general election speech, entirely focused on drawing a contrast between himself and Barack Obama. He didn't mention his opponents, even to compliment them. The presupposition: The nomination contest is over.
It's hard to disagree. South Carolina will kill off Perry and either Santorum or Gingrich. Ron Paul will never quit, and Huntsman earned South Carolina immunity based on his solid performance in New Hampshire, so four candidates will be alive for Florida. But it's hard to see how any of them challenge Romney, who is broadly acceptable to Republicans even among those who would prefer someone else.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Mitt Romney.]
Running for president is harder than it looks (isn't that right, Governor Perry?). Giving credit where credit is due, Romney has run a nearly error-free campaign. He has shown remarkable discipline in every aspect of the campaign and paced himself well. Yes, he's benefiting from divided opposition and a weak field, but Romney has sealed off paths to the nomination by others.
This is very different from the McCain campaign. McCain's impulsiveness was part of his charm and appeal, but it made party professionals nervous and led to mistakes like suspending the campaign during the bank crisis in the fall of 2008, after which that campaign unraveled. The buttoned-down Romney campaign gives establishment Republicans confidence.
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- Other Arguments
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#1276
No — None of the other GOP candidates is likely to make it past Florida
DAVID CROCKETT, Author of 'Running Against the Grain: How Opposition Candidates Win Presidential Elections'
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#2186
Yes — If S.C. knocks out Perry, Santorum, or Gingrich, conservatives could coalesce behind a Non-Romney
MATTHEW DICKINSON, Professor at Middlebury College
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#3144
No — With steady campaign, Romney limits foes' chances to rally against him
ROB COLLINS, Former Chief of Staff for Majority Leader Eric Cantor
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#4113
Yes — Nothing can stop him in the primaries, but GOP issues with race will not go away
SIMON ROSENBERG, President and Founder of NDN
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#5103
Yes — The damage Romney's GOP rivals do in the primary will only bloody him to be defeated in the general election
KRYSTAL BALL, Former Democratic Nominee for Congress
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#744
No — It is unlikely other GOP candidates have organization or money to stop Romney
RON BONJEAN, Former Chief of Staff for the Senate Republican Conference
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#817
Yes — United base must remind Republican voters of Mitt Romney's liberal past
JUDSON PHILLIPS, Founder of Tea Party Nation
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