Romney Campaign Press Release - What They're Saying About Governor Mitt Romney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6400

Governor Romney "Wasting No Time" In Building Momentum:

Conservative Commentator Hugh Hewitt: "There's a long way to go until Iowa, but as 2007 opens, the momentum remains where it was throughout 2006, with Mitt Romney." (Hugh Hewitt's Blog, "Steyn, Owens, Romney And Me," http://hughhewitt.townhall.com, 1/4/07)

The Washington Post: "Outgoing Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a successful businessman from a prominent Michigan Republican family, joined the 2008 sweepstakes yesterday, formally establishing a presidential committee and turning his attention to the substantial fundraising and organizational demands of a national campaign. ... With a new headquarters open for business in Boston, Romney plans to move into full-scale campaign activity immediately." (Dan Balz, "Romney Forms Presidential Committee, Focuses On Fundraising," The Washington Post, 1/4/07)

The Boston Globe: "As Romney was wrapping up his State House duties, his campaign operatives were filing papers with the Federal Election Commission, allowing Romney to start raising money for his White House campaign. They set up a committee and launched a new website, www.MittRomney.com." (Andrea Estes and Scott Helman, "Romney Exits With Pomp, Ambition," The Boston Globe, 1/4/07)

Human Events' Robert Bluey: "Romney's new website features loads of content, including video streamed through 'Mitt TV.'" (Robert Bluey's "The Ballot Box" Blog, "Romney 2008 Is Open For Business," www.humanevents.com, 1/3/07)

Boston Herald: "Mitt Romney wasted no time talking up his presidential bid online, hitting conservative blogs yesterday with advertisements portraying him as Reagan-style Republican ready to take on 'jihadists.'" (Jesse Noyes, "Romney Plays To Right-Wingers With Blog Ads," Boston Herald, 1/5/07)

The National Journal's Marc Ambinder: "Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney released the first set of major donors who have agreed to help him raise millions of dollars for his presidential campaign. ... But one new name stands out: Ted Welch, the Tennessee investment banker who masterminded Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) $20 million haul in 1996 and who, since he [was] the RNC's finance chair in 1977, has been one of the party's most proficient and generous fundraisers." (Marc Ambinder, "Romney Announces Nat'l Finance Team, Including Ted Welch," The National Journal, 1/4/07)

The Salt Lake Tribune: "Utah billionaire Jon Huntsman Sr. will serve as one of nine national finance co-leaders for Mitt Romney's presidential exploratory committee, the former Massachusetts governor announced Thursday. ... Huntsman joins eight other well-known party fundraisers, including four of President Bush's 2004 'Rangers,' a nickname for his top fund-raisers." (Thomas Burr, "Huntsman Sr. Will Help Romney With Finances," The Salt Lake Tribune, 1/5/07)

Conservatives Praise Governor Romney's Strong Conservative Leadership:

Governor Bill Owens (R-CO): "I have been talking to the leading Republican candidates, and I like Mitt Romney. I think when your earlier caller was asking about somebody who has real substance, and I realize that some of us who are conservatives, there have been some questions. But I think that Mitt Romney's a conservative, and I think he can win." ("The Hugh Hewitt Show," http://hughhewitt.townhall.com, 1/4/07)

Governor Owens: "Well, I think he's one of the brightest people I've ever seen in public office. He's a businessman, he's a manager. He understands markets, he understands the private sector. He is a conservative, he wants to cut taxes. You know, he's a Republican who was elected in Massachusetts, which has about 12% of its voters who are Republican. He was able to win that election, and we saw what he did at the Olympics." ("The Hugh Hewitt Show," http://hughhewitt.townhall.com, 1/4/07)

Conservative Commentator Reverend Joe Watkins: "[Romney's] a very attractive candidate. ... I think he'll do extraordinarily well in the primaries if he's able to get his message out and raise the money that he needs to get his message out and also to build an organization." (NPR's "News And Notes," 1/4/07)

Watkins: "What makes him attractive to a lot of the conservative base is the fact that he stands where the conservative base stands on a lot of the social issues." (NPR's "News and Notes," 1/4/07)

Praise Of Governor Mitt Romney's Fiscal Conservative Principles And Record:


Americans For Tax Reform President Grover Norquist Says Governor Romney "Is The First Major Candidate To Sign" The "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" Promising To Oppose Higher Taxes. (Seth Gitell, "Romney Is First To Sign Pledge On Tax," The New York Sun, 1/5/07)

Conservative Beacon Hill Institute Executive Director David Tuerck Gives Governor Romney "High Marks For His Fiscal Record." "The executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute, a fiscally conservative research institute based at Suffolk University, David Tuerck, gave Mr. Romney high marks for his fiscal record. 'I would give him an A-,' Mr. Tuerck said. 'He held the line on income tax and the sales tax.'" (Seth Gitell, "Romney Is First To Sign Pledge On Tax," The New York Sun, 1/5/07)