USA: Republican Mitt Romney's campaign unleashes a barrage of negative commercials targeting Rick Santorum, as he battles to win the Republican primary in Michigan

Record ID: 347820

  • Title: USA: Republican Mitt Romney's campaign unleashes a barrage of negative commercials targeting Rick Santorum, as he battles to win the Republican primary in Michigan
  • Date: 27th February 2012
  • Summary: FLINT, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 24, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GENERAL MOTORS AUTO WORKERS ON ASSEMBLY LINE GENERAL MOTORS SILVERADO HD TRUCK BEING DRIVEN OFF OF ASSEMBLY LINE ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES (REUTERS) (FEBRUARY 22, 2012) VINCENT HUTCHINGS, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English)
  • Embargoed: 13th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA90RHGHKCLIXT956GJ45FHVMWQ
  • Story Text: Four years after winning the Republican primary in Michigan, Mitt Romney must now convince voters in the state where his father was once governor, that his opposition to the government auto bailout wasn't a stand against the industry at the heart of the state's economy.
    The Republican presidential race faces a potential turning point on Tuesday (February 28) in Michigan, where upstart Rick Santorum threatens to plunge an already unpredictable nominating battle into chaos.
    Mitt Romney, the former front-runner and presumed nominee, and Santorum are in a close race in Michigan, the state where Romney was raised and his father was an auto executive and popular governor.
    "If I go to Washington my job is going to be getting good jobs for you.I care about Michigan. I care about Flint, Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo. I want to see American cities growing again and I will do that by making America the most attractive place in the world for entrepreneurs, Romney told supporters at a rally not far from General Motors operations in Flint. The governor made no mention to his opposition of the government bailout of the auto industry -- a sensitive issue for many in the region.
    After winning the Republican primary in Michigan 2008, Romney has been hurt by his view on the bailout.
    "That's a hard position for Mitt Romney to adopt especially in this part of Michigan because it's such a big part of the history and the economy of this region I think that he or his handlers felt that in order to push the agenda of being critical of the Obama administration,they couldn't very well congratulate for some action that they have taken both for political reasons and for the emphasis the Romney campaign is putting on the free market," Vincent Hutchings, professor of political science the University of Michigan Ann Arbor said.
    Stiill, some in Michigan say Romney's focus and his business experience as the former head of a private equity firm will help improve the state's struggling economy.
    "Being in GM country, that's kind of a big deal here but at the end of day, it all boils down to business and keeping the government out of business," Reid Landis, a Romney supporter said.
    Some recent polls show Romney, who has unleashed a flood of negative attack ads on Santorum, taking a slight lead in Michigan. He overcame what had been a big deficit after Santorum swept three contests in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado earlier in the month.
    With two days remaining before the vote, Santorum's Michigan headquarters in Troy, a handful of volunteers made phone calls to registered Republicans.
    "I think if Senator Santorum wins Michigan, even after having to combat his opponent, Mitt Romney in his home state where his father was governor with all of the negative advertising, misleading advertising that was directed against Senator Santorum by Governor Mitt Romney, it will show just how strong a candidate Rick Santorum really is," Santorum supporter Joel Griffith said.
    A Santorum win there would be a devastating blow to Romney, turning lingering doubts about his ability to win the allegiance of Republican primary voters into a deep panic in the party's senior ranks.But Republicans worry about the general election viability of Santorum, a staunch conservative who has courted controversy with a burst of comments on social issues like birth control, pre-natal testing and women in the military.
    Santorum's rise and Romney's weakness have sparked speculation about more contenders jumping into a Republican race that could last all the way to a brokered convention in August. The Michigan result could shift that speculation into overdrive.
    If Romney pulls out a victory in Michigan and in Arizona, where he has a more comfortable lead in polls, he would regain command of the frequently shifting race but could still face a long nominating battle that could extend into June.
    Fueling Santorum's rise are concerns Romney is not as conservative as many of the party's core voters.
    "I am probably going to vote for Santorum because I am not sure Romney is as conservative as he portrays himself to be. It's not a religious thing, I'm just not sure I am convinced yet," one registered Republican said.
    Some Republicans worry that Santorum at the top of the ticket in the November 6 general election could put the emphasis on the wrong issues in a campaign they hope will focus on Obama's economic leadership. That could endanger more moderate Republicans farther down the ballot in toss-up states.In Michigan, Romney's focus on his business experience as the former head of a private equity firm resonates with voters looking for improvement in the state's struggling economy.
    After Tuesday (February 28) , the Republican race quickly goes national with 22 contests in March, including 10 states on Super Tuesday on March 6. That could bring Romney's financial and organizational advantages to the fore.
    But the Super Tuesday contests include conservative states like Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia, where former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is making a stand. They could give Romney's rivals enough momentum to extend the campaign.
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