Another Romney Tool

Romney's Republican Governors Association has already donated $1 million to the state Republican Parties in Florida and Michigan. Iowa's Republican Party got $750,000. Iowa will host the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses in 2008. Michigan is also primed to vote early in 2008. Florida is home to any number of influential donors and activists who are shopping for a 2008 candidate.
Need more evidence? The RGA -- through its independent expenditure arm -- is spending nearly $900,000 on ads touting Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) -- ads that indirectly seek to shore up Romney's legacy in the state." (The Fix)

By the way, Romney has a 48% unfavorable rating in Massachusetts. Also, Healey is down by almost 20% against Deval Patrick.

Also, from The Fix: "the RGA recently registered a political action committee in the Granite State with the intent of backing candidates on the "state and local level," according to the filing with the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

If the RGA spends money in New Hampshire it would be even more evidence of Romney looking out for his 2008 interests. The latest independent poll in the race showed Gov. John Lynch (D) with a 69 percent to 16 percent edge over Republican Jim Coburn."

SunuCain?

This is an item from today's Hotline:

McCain has been "meeting quietly" with GOP Senate supporters to "plot campaign strategy" and "build a wider base" among "influential party figures." Attendees include Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS). Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) has "notably" attended "a few of the meetings" but he was "careful to say that he has not yet endorsed McCain" for president. Sununu said he was giving McCain the same counsel he gives to other prospective candidates. Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) is "close to McCain" but "refused to confirm or deny" that he attends. Sen. Jon Kyl's spokesperson didn't know whether Kyl attends the meetings (Pierce, Roll Call, 10/5) Senator Sununu would probably endorse McCain because Sununu might be in a tough race in 2008. In 2000 McCain beat Bush by over 15 points!!!

Dollar Diplomacy

The folks over at PoliticsNH made the following comment, "George Pataki deserves at least this much: he’s playing the dollar diplomacy game in New Hampshire as well as, if not better than, any other White House aspirant at this early date." Will George Pataki be able to beat Romney and McCain through personal relations and IOUs. Only time will tell.

Activists Flock To Romney

Despite scoring an amazing 4% in a new presidential poll, GOP activists in New Hampshire are flocking to Romney. The Commonwealth PAC released the name of 58 people who are joining his PAC. Names include: attorney Gordon McDonald of Concord, former Franklin Mayor Tony Giunta, former state Sen. George Lovejoy, former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Vicinanzo, Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams, Rockingham County Sheriff Dan Linehan, Belknap County Sheriff Dan Collis and former state Attorney General Peter Heed.

Rising Rudy

A new Marist College poll is providing good news for Rudy Giuliani. The poll shows that Rudy is now the leader of the GOP field, while McCain's support is sliding. Another interesting point to make is that Mitt Romney is at 4%, I guess making the cover of The National Review and being K-Lo's favorite, does not gurantee success.

If the 2008 Republican presidential primary were held today, whom would you support if the candidates are: (asked of Republicans and Republican leaning independents)

Rudy Giuliani 23%
Condoleezza Rice 20%
John McCain 15%
Newt Gingrich 7%
Mitt Romney 4%
Bill Frist 4%
George Allen 2%
George Pataki 2%
Sam Brownback 1%
Tom Tancredo 1%
Chuck Hagel <1%
Mike Huckabee <1%
Undecided 21%

Edwards Visits Uganda

Over the weekend former North Carolina Senator John Edwards visited Uganda. Edwards went to examine the humanitarian needs of the region. An excerpt from Newsweek read, "Edwards said the most haunting moment of his visit was the desperate look he saw in the eyes of an 8-year-old orphan girl he met under a mango tree. Rebel fighters had killed her parents, and she'd been adopted by a local family. Like nearly 2 million others, they fled their homes to escape the fighting and live in a camp where getting food, water and other basic needs is a daily struggle." Too bad that Barack Obama stole the show with his visit to Africa a couple of weeks ago. At least Edwards paid his respects to the African continent, now he can actually concentrate his efforts on real problems, like winning his homestate.

Romney's Mormon Problem

A recent Gallup poll demonstrates Governor Romney's "Mormon Problem." When asked whether they were ready to vote for a Mormon to be President, only 29% said they could. 66% said that they were not ready to vote for a Mormon.

No Beer Tax!!

Today New York Governor George Pataki became the first presidential candidate to open an office. He hopes that the office will become a meeting place for grassroots operations and help elect GOP candidates. Governor Pataki also stressed his accomplishments as governor of the Empire State. He focused on reducing the number of people on welfare, lowering taxes and reducing crime. Out of the 80 people there, about 25 were College Republicans. When Governor Pataki mentioned that he eliminated the beer tax in New York, the CRs started an uproar and one student said, "I can get behind that!" Pataki also said, "One of the things that most troubles me about Democrats is that you hear all the time that they care about people. Nothing could be further from the truth." The crowd also reacted favorably when the Governor said that the reason we were attacked on 9/11 was because of everything that we do right: individual freedom, freedom of assembly and religion.