Rick Perry’s surge may force Mitt Romney to shift gears
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may be forced to shake up his strategy to win the Republican presidential nomination now that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has seized the top spot in the latest Gallup poll.
Among Romney’s likely shifts: softening his focus on New Hampshire, the first primary state, and starting a more aggressive campaign in Iowa, where the race actually begins.
Romney invested heavily there in 2008 and fell short. But this time, a battle between Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota for supremacy among Iowa’s social conservatives could create an opening for his more moderate brand of conservatism.
Also up for discussion inside the Romney camp: an accelerated advertising push, including attack ads against Perry.
“This nomination fight will not be a coronation,” said Scott Reed, a GOP strategist who is neutral in the race. “He’s got to show that he’s willing to fight for it.”
Romney has the most seasoned and well-developed organization of any GOP candidate, and a big money advantage. But he has failed to generate widespread enthusiasm among primary voters. As last week’s Gallup poll showed, the support he built over the last three months has disappeared, along with his lead.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 29% said they preferred Perry as the nominee to take on President Obama, and 17% preferred Romney.
Shrugging off questions about Perry’s surge, Romney told reporters last week that there would be no change in his determination to focus on Obama rather than on other Republicans.
“My campaign approach remains exactly the same,” he said.