Romney PAC Helps His Cause

The clock is already ticking on the next presidential campaign and at least one potential candidate appears not to be wasting any time. Former Massachusetts Governor (and 2008 candidate) Mitt Romney is using his political action committee to assemble a team of consultants and staffers, the Boston Globe reports. Romney's Free and Strong America PAC, established to help other Republican candidates, has raised $2.1 million but has distributed just 12 percent of that to fellow GOPers, an analysis by the Globe found. From the Globe report:

According to the Globe analysis, he spent $244,000 on contributions to congressional and other candidates between April and the November elections. He has spent more than twice as much on staff salaries and contracts to hire professional fund-raisers, who are compiling contributor lists that will serve Romney well in a future presidential campaign.

In essence, Romney is financing a political enterprise that he can use to remain a national GOP leader and use as a springboard should he decide to launch another presidential bid for 2012.