How do you turn your money advantage into a win?

Mary Katharine Ham: When it comes to winning, you’ve got one of the keys going strong for you—fundraising. But there’s a discrepancy with your poll numbers. Now, I’ve read and heard from folks that this is the way a Romney campaign works, building cred over a long period, so that eventually the numbers will catch up with the money. But in this accelerated election cycle, how does that work for you?

Governor Mitt Romney: Well, first of all, the places where I’ve spent my time—like I am today in Iowa City, Jackson County, and in Jones County—these are the places where the first primaries and caucuses are held, and the polls here are very encouraging. The New Hampshire poll, for instance, two weeks ago that Zogby put out, had me tied for first place.

The poll that the University of Iowa did just last week has us all in a statistical dead heat for first place, so I’m doing well in the early primary states, which are the ones that count to get the momentum going.

And, of course, I’m not a household name. Not at this point. Win a couple of these primaries, and I become a household name pretty darn quickly. But early on, of course the names people will know, and will acknowledge in the polls, are the names that have become famous from the past. And I anticipate becoming famous by virtue of my message. It’s a message that is catching on across the states that have spread it, and I expect that more and more people in this country will come to my camp and I’m gonna win this thing.

Source: EXCLUSIVE: Townhall.com sits down with Gov. Romney, Friday Apr 20, 2007; By Mary Katharine Ham