Press room
ROLL CALL: GOP Still Enamored of Romney
March 3, 2009
By Jackie Kucinich
Roll Call Staff
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has become a regular fixture in Congressional Republican circles in recent months, transitioning from many GOP lawmakers’ top presidential pick in 2008 to their top economic adviser.
Romney and his close Congressional allies insist that his Capitol Hill relationships have been struck out of a mutual goal of pushing the GOP’s economic agenda. But Romney’s frequent presence, paired with his remarks in his recent speeches, seem to point to a familiar strategy — one that made him Congressional Republicans’ early favorite for the 2008 presidential nomination. Romney failed to fulfill his ambition last year to reside at the White House but is widely viewed as a top contender for the job in four years.
“Mitt Romney and Members of the House Republican caucus are kindred sprits who share a commitment to conservative principles,” Romney spokesman
Fehrnstrom said Romney speaks frequently with Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) after the two hit it off in August while serving on the Republican “truth squad” at the Democratic National Convention in
This friendship ultimately led to Romney’s participation in the GOP’s economic working group hearing on Jan. 15 and in a press conference via phone after the first House economic stimulus vote.
“I think it was ironic that on the very day that we were having those discussions ... Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi [D-Calif.] and Congressional Democrats came out with their own version of the bill before having received any input whatsoever from Republican Congresspeople and Republican leadership, and I think it really does indicate that there is a very different [standard] being set by the president than the reality that we are seeing executed by Congressional leadership,” Romney said during the press conference.
Rob Collins, Cantor’s deputy chief of staff, said Romney’s ability to create buzz on the national stage will help House Republicans get their message heard in places that it may not otherwise reach.
“He can break through in places that we can’t as someone who rather successfully auditioned to be the leader of the country,” Collins said. “The national media pick up what he’s doing.”
Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Romney is a natural go-to, citing his stature as a former presidential candidate and his knowledge of economic policy as a former businessman.