By: Michael Sluss
Roanoke Times
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday that Virginia will be a competitive battleground in the 2008 election, but predicted that voters will not lurch to the political left to elect a new president.
"Romney was in Richmond to pick up the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and appeal for support from state GOP activists. The former Massachusetts governor said public discontent with the Iraq war fueled Democratic gains in the 2006 congressional elections, but predicted that other issues will affect the outcome of next year's presidential race.
"'I don't believe for a minute that America is going to take a sharp left turn on policies, on taxes and on the role of government,' Romney said after he and Bolling emerged from a private meeting with about 200 Republican activists at a downtown Richmond hotel.
"The former Massachusetts governor is among the front-runners for the 2008 Republican nomination and Bolling's support could give Romney some organizational heft in Virginia for the Feb. 12 primary. Bolling will serve as Romney's Virginia campaign chairman.
"Bolling said he studied all of the Republican presidential hopefuls and concluded that Romney has 'the right stand on the important issues facing the country.'
"'When people hear his message, he has the ability to inspire people like Ronald Reagan did,' Bolling said.
"Bolling touted Romney as a candidate who can reach beyond the traditional Republican base and appeal to independents and "clear-thinking Democrats."
"'This was a Republican governor who worked with overwhelming Democrat majorities in both houses of the legislature to turn around a mess in Massachusetts,' Bolling said."...
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Roanoke Times
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday that Virginia will be a competitive battleground in the 2008 election, but predicted that voters will not lurch to the political left to elect a new president.
"Romney was in Richmond to pick up the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and appeal for support from state GOP activists. The former Massachusetts governor said public discontent with the Iraq war fueled Democratic gains in the 2006 congressional elections, but predicted that other issues will affect the outcome of next year's presidential race.
"'I don't believe for a minute that America is going to take a sharp left turn on policies, on taxes and on the role of government,' Romney said after he and Bolling emerged from a private meeting with about 200 Republican activists at a downtown Richmond hotel.
"The former Massachusetts governor is among the front-runners for the 2008 Republican nomination and Bolling's support could give Romney some organizational heft in Virginia for the Feb. 12 primary. Bolling will serve as Romney's Virginia campaign chairman.
"Bolling said he studied all of the Republican presidential hopefuls and concluded that Romney has 'the right stand on the important issues facing the country.'
"'When people hear his message, he has the ability to inspire people like Ronald Reagan did,' Bolling said.
"Bolling touted Romney as a candidate who can reach beyond the traditional Republican base and appeal to independents and "clear-thinking Democrats."
"'This was a Republican governor who worked with overwhelming Democrat majorities in both houses of the legislature to turn around a mess in Massachusetts,' Bolling said."...