28 JUL 08 / "Romney Best Choice for McCain"

The race for the Republican nomination was very competitive. At the outset, Mitt Romney was considered one of the front-runners; but after he was upset by Mike Huckabee in Iowa, Romney found himself in a two-front campaign against Huckabee and John McCain, both of whom seemed to relish attacking Romney in the debates. If Romney made a mistake it was probably going too negative in his television commercials, which backfired and helped McCain win New Hampshire. Despite the setbacks in Iowa and New Hampshire, however, Romney actually had the most popular votes going into Super Tuesday.

For good or bad, Republicans tend to nominate whomever they consider to be 'next'. McCain ran a good race in 2000, so the sentiment among the majority of Republican primary voters was 'it's McCain's turn'. To his credit, McCain resurrected his campaign while making the Iraq war his centerpiece issue. With Romney and Huckabee splitting most of the conservative vote, McCain was able to acquire an insurmountable lead in delegates.

In the current debate over whom McCain should pick as his vice presidential candidate, Romney is again a front-runner. Private polls have reportedly shown that Romney gives McCain Michigan and its 17 electoral votes. Picking up Michigan in this election is critical considering the fact that states that went Republican in 2004 are leaning Democratic in 2008 such as Colorado. Romney also helps McCain in New Hampshire. Romney's economic expertise complements McCain's national security credentials. Romney is intelligent, articulate, charismatic, and energetic. Romney does well on television defending McCain and attacking Obama.

Romney is criticized for losing despite having spent $45 million of his own money, but it was necessary  because Romney had never run a national campaign. If he spent a lot of his own money, he also raised a lot. He can continue to do so as McCain's running mate, and money is something McCain desperately needs more of.

Romney is a national security, economic, and social conservative. 12-year old sound-bites from his 1994 bid to oust Ted Kennedy from the senate conjured up by critics smack of desperation and are not an accurate representation of Romney's political philosophy..

The Boston Globe and Boston Herald last week published stories that disparaged Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts, saying jobs left the state, but the facts remain that Romney: resolved the state's fiscal crisis, defended the institution of marriage, removed an embattled university president, provided health care to the uninsured, and provided scholarships to the state's university system.

When Romney took office in 2003, Massachusetts was in the throes of an economic crisis. Romney reoriented the state's fiscal priorities and closed a nearly $3 billion revenue shortfall without raising taxes. During his tenure, Romney vetoed hundreds of millions of dollars in spending and left the state with a $2 billion rainy day fund. Democrats outnumber Republicans in Massachusetts 3 to 1.There are so few Republicans in the state legislature, they are barely a factor. It's remarkable that Romney was able to accomplish anything.

Mitt Romney has the ability to grasp complex problems and know what should be done to resolve them. Moreover, he understands that the American people, not the federal government, are the source of America's strength. And that is the best definition of a conservative.