National Democrats, doing whatever they can to diminish the candidacy of Republican front-runner Mitt Romney, are now trying to minimize his victory in the Florida Republican presidential primary.
The latest example is the argument by a senior adviser to President Obama's re-election campaign that Romney's win this week "came at a very steep price" because his negativity cost him support among independent voters nationwide.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Mitt Romney.]
Stephanie Cutter, Obama's deputy campaign manager, argues in an email to reporters that,
Team Romney wants voters and the national media to believe its victory reflects its candidate's positions. In reality, it is a product of the fact that Romney and his super PAC allies carpet-bombed [his main GOP rival Newt] Gingrich by spending five times as much money on Florida's airwaves, and running more than 60 television ads for every one Gingrich and his allies aired.
"The overwhelming majority of that advertising was negative," Cutter says.
She cites a Washington Post-ABC poll finding that Romney's unfavorable rating among independents nationally has increased to 51 percent from 34 percent a month ago, while his favorable rating fell to 23 percent from 41.
[Read the U.S. News debate: Can Anything Stop Mitt Romney?]
Cutter predicted that, "As the Republican race now moves to Nevada, Romney's out-of-touch positions on housing, seniors' health and immigration—as well as his lonely support of the Yucca Mountain [nuclear waste storage] project, Nevadans overwhelmingly oppose and President Obama ended—will continue to repel the very voters who will decide the White House."
Nevada holds its nominating caucuses Saturday.
- See a collection of political cartoons on Super PACs.
- See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates
- Check out our editorial cartoons on President Obama.
Reader Comments Read all comments (1)
Margaret Mahoney of TX 9:47PM February 06, 2012