3 Join Romney's GOP Presidential Bid Team

By: William March

Tampa Tribune

Friday, Dec 08, 2006

Three big-name Florida Republicans and allies of outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush are lining up with Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential race.

Romney's political action committee, the Commonwealth PAC, announced Thursday that former state House Speaker Allan Bense, former state Republican Party Chairman Al Cardenas and outgoing Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings have all joined the PAC's steering committee.

Romney hasn't yet announced a presidential campaign or even an exploratory committee, while several other potential candidates have done so.

But he is widely expected to seek the Republican nomination, and he appears to be making Florida a key part of his strategy. The state is expected to be the site of an important early presidential primary and possibly also a key early Republican Party straw poll.

Bush so far hasn't openly taken sides in the presidential race. But Romney has been thought to have Bush's tacit backing, in part, because Romney's PAC has also hired two of Bush's top political operatives: Sally Bradshaw, Bush's former campaign manager and governor's office chief of staff, and fundraiser Ann Herberger.

Thursday's announcement of the new appointments by the PAC mentioned Bradshaw and Herberger, calling them "top political advisors to Governor Jeb Bush." ... View Entire Article

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBJB3R0GVE.html